ROCK ART OF LA SERENA REGION

Google Maps:
38.72143, -5.21817

Type of site:
Interpretation Centre and several Rock-shelters

Place of location: City centre of Cabeza de Buey and the mountains located around of this town.
Village/Town: Cabeza del Buey
Municipality: Cabeza del Buey (Badajoz)
Region: Extremadura
State: Spain
Telephone: (+34) 924 007 009
Website: https://www.turismoextremadura.com/es/explora/Centro-de-Interpretacion-de-la-Pintura-Rupestre/
E-mail: up@cabezadebuey.es

Natural Environment:

The abundance of caves and natural shelters in the Comarca de La Serena, associated with a rich biodiversity and the existence of important natural resources, led to human settlement throughout prehistory and with it the emergence of a wide and wonderful set of places with rock art.

Archaeological evidences in the site:

The region has over 300 sites with schematic paintings and engravings. In addition, other places of interest include the castles of Capilla, Herrera del Duque, Benquerencia, Magacela and Almorchón. Other archaeological sites that can be visited are La Mata (Campanario) and Cancho Roano (Zalamea de la Serena), the Republican Roman fortified settlement of Hijovejo (Quintana de la Serna) and the dolmen with engravings at Magacela. There are ethnographic museums about Turron (Castuera) and Los Auroros at Zarza Capilla and Granite at Quintana de la Serena. A large number of churches, hermitages, bridges, convents and mansions are dispersed among the villages in the region.

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Opening Times:

On the second Saturdays of every month. from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 21:00h. The rest of the days a visit must be previously coordinated.

Booking and access:

Telephone of the Interpretation centre. +34 924 632111/+34 674 09 56 37

Nearby cultural destinations:

La Mata (Campanario). Cancho Roano (Zalamea de la Serena). Magacela Dolmen. Almorchón Castle.

Nearby natural destinations:

Cijara National Reserve. Moheda Alta Nature Visitor Centre (Navalvillar de Pela).

Accommodations (Tourism Website):
https://www.laserena.org/
Restaurants (Tourism Website):
https://www.laserena.org/

Age of the artistic representations:

Neolithic to Iron Age.

General description of the destination:

In Cabeza de Buey you can receive first-hand information by visiting its Prehistoric Painting Interpretation Centre, located in the Plaza de la Constitución, where you can also obtain information for visiting the various shelters with schematic art in the nearby mountains of La Serena and the immediate region of La Siberia. Three rock-shelters (Magacela, Benquerencia and Cerro Estanislao) are prepared to receive visitors with information panels. They display a large group of painted Schematic rock art, with motifs of the three basic types (anthropomorphs, zoomorphs and symbols). Specialised guides are available to lead longer routes to other sites with both paintings and engravings of great technical quality. You can’t miss sites as unique as those in Cerro Estanislao, the Bercialejo Cave or the shelter of Las Calderetas, the latter in the town of Benquerencia de la Serena.

History of the site:

The emergence of new rock art shelters in recent years in various mountain ranges of the region of La Serena, is consolidating the region as one of the most important areas as far as this art is concerned.

Museographic resources description:

The Interpretation Centre of the Rock Art Paint of Cabeza de Buey has several rooms to introduce visitors to the main characteristics of rock art (techniques, interpretation and age). Full-scale replicas of a rock-shelter with schematic art. Audiovisual presentations. In the center information about several routes to visit places with art is provided.