EL AJEDREZADO CAVE

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42.211637, -2.195467

Type of site:
Cave - hermitages

Place of location: Cuevas del Ajedrezado
Village/Town: Santa Eulalia Somera
Municipality: Arnedillo (La Rioja)
Region: La Rioja
State: Spain
Telephone: (+34) 941 394 450 (+34) 941 394 226
Website: http://www.arnedillo.org/Cuevas-del-Ajedrezado.8734.0.html https://lariojaturismo.com/lugar-de-interes/cueva-del-ajedrezado/f476257e-f81d-7f75-75a1-10cae00d46ba
E-mail: arnedillo@lariojaturismo.com

Natural Environment:

Arnedillo is a municipality in the Alto Valle del Río Cidacos (declared Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2003). It is located at 651 meters above sea level and has an area of 48 square kilometers. Surrounded by mountains, the area is known for its thermal waters. The Cidacos Green Route, a 34-kilometre natural walk between Arnedo and Arnedillo takes advantage of the route of a former railway, is spectacular due to the colour and landscape that we see along it, the vegetation of poplars, willows and ash trees. Following this route we will find ourselves surrounded by reddish rocky cliffs that keep cellars hidden in the wall and at the top, we see numerous pairs of vultures.

Archaeological evidences in the site:

The Cidacos Valley preserves some human occupations from the last moments of the Lower Palaeolithic and Middle Palaeolithic. Nevertheless, the best prehistoric remains of the first occupations have been dated to the Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age periods, with many open-air settlements and the first uses of rock shelters and small caves built in the wide rocky foothills along the river. Very interesting is the Roman period and the first centuries of the Middle Ages (Visigothic period) in the area, when wine production was increased and this area became an important and rich territory that was first brought under control by the Islamic people and then by the older Christian kingdoms of Navarre, Castile and Aragon (who fought for centuries for control of this zone). It was in this context that the Cave of the Hundred Pillars was developed.

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Opening Times:

VISITS (from July 24th to August 30th): Fridays and Sundays, from 11:00 to 14:00 h. / Small groups and passes every half hour. Guided tour upon reservation and availability for groups.

Booking and access:

Tourism Office of Arnedillo: Telf. (+34) 941 394 226 / E-mail: arnedillo@lariojaturismo.com

Nearby cultural destinations:

The municipality of Arnedillo has an important religious heritage, such as the medieval chapels of San Tirso, Peñalba and Virgen de la Torre as well as several churches and chapels of the Baroque. The Castle of Los Lomberas (13th Century) is another point of interest. http://www.arnedillo.org/Patrimonio-Cultural.3379.0.html

Nearby natural destinations:

Rebollar de Cabimonteros de Sierra La Hez. Interpretation Centre and Viewpoint for the observation of Griffon vulture. Interpretation Centre of the Alto Valle del Cidacos.

Accommodations (Tourism Website):
http://www.arnedillo.org/Empresas.3381.0.html
Restaurants (Tourism Website):
http://www.arnedillo.org/Empresas.3381.0.html

Age of the artistic representations:

Middle Age

General description of the destination:

Currently, it is possible to visit this cave complex from the early Middle Ages thanks to a series of wooden access structures installed as part of the Leader programme of the South-East La Rioja Region. Inside the cave, which has been cleaned and restored, you can see the underground spaces used by the hermits, both for their subsistence and for their religious worship. Both the inscription on the wall, which dates the site to the 8th century, and the square niches excavated from floor to ceiling, forming an almost perfect checkerboard pattern, are remarkable.

History of the site:

The Ajedrezado Caves are located in the upper part of the small town of Santa Eulalia Somera, on a rocky outcrop of a mountain composed of sandstone rock. They were known since ever by the inhabitants of the village who used them as part of their traditional works. Along the 20th century, several archaeologists and historians have proposed different theories about these caves and their uses throughout history. It seems that their origin would be in the beginning of the Middle Ages, when hermits settled in this place. Given the existence of 2 caves (in addition to other small caves excavated in the sandstone of the area), it could have even housed a small paleo-Christian monastery duplicates. An inscription in Latin (PAX IN D / PRAXIN), with parallels in other early medieval hermitages in La Rioja, would date this hermitage/monastery to the 8th century (perhaps as a refuge from the Islamic invasion of the Iberian Peninsula). In the last centuries the caves have been used for diferent purposes such as domestic goat stables, lofts, storage area for agricultural products, warehouses, etc.

Museographic resources description:

There is a viewpoint over the valley of the Cidacos River and a footbridge to the cave, where we find various educational panels. Furthermore, in Arnedillo we find the Alto Valle del Cidacos Interpretation Centre, with additional information on the Archaeological Heritage of the region.