Caves of Monte Castillo
Paleolithic cave complex with the oldest known dated cave decoration.
The Caves of Monte Castillo are a group of karstic caves on the 354-meter-high Monte Castillo hill, just south of the Cantabrian town of Puente Viesgo. This complex holds one of the region’s most significant Paleolithic sites. Four of its caves—El Castillo, Las Chimeneas, La Pasiega, and Las Monedas—are among the eighteen listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since July 2008 under the title “Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain.” A smaller fifth cave, La Flecha, is also part of the complex. The caves sit along the Pas River on Monte Castillo, at the meeting point of three valleys and not far from the coast.
Inside El Castillo, red ochre hand stencils have been dated to around 35,000 years ago. A 2012 study found one red disk in the same cave to be older than 40,000 years, making it the oldest known dated cave decoration. El Castillo was discovered in 1903 by Hermilio Alcalde del Río, and first explored and excavated by Hugo Obermaier. The Cueva de Las Monedas, discovered in 1952 and explored by Eduardo Ripoll Perelló (1923–2006), gets its name from a number of 16th-century coins found inside. Its paintings date to the Magdalenian period, about 13,000 years ago, and depict horses, goats, bears, bison, and reindeer.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Puente Viesgo, Cantabria, Spain
- Part Of
- Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain
- Includes
- El Castillo / Las Monedas · es · Cueva de Las Monedas / La Pasiega / Las Chimeneas · es · Cueva de Las Chimeneas
- Criteria
- (i), (iii)(i), (iii)
- Year
- 1985
- Extension
- 2008
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The El Castillo cave was discovered in 1903 by Hermilio Alcalde del Río and first explored and excavated by Hugo Obermaier. It contains decorations in red ochre in the forms of hand stencils dated to about 35,000 years ago. A red disk in El Castillo has been dated to before 40,000 years ago in a 2012 study, making it the oldest known dated cave decoration.
The Cueva de Las Monedas was discovered in 1952 and explored by Eduardo Ripoll Perelló (1923–2006). It is named for a number of 16th-century coins found inside. The paintings in this cave date to the Magdalenian, about 13,000 years ago, depicting horses, goats, bears, bison and reindeer.
The caves are located along the Pas river in the Castillo mountain, squarely at the intersection of three valleys and near the coast. The complex includes four UNESCO-listed caves and a minor fifth cave, La Flecha.
Reader's Guide
The Caves of Monte Castillo represent a crucial Paleolithic site in northern Spain, notable for containing the oldest known dated cave decoration—a red disk in El Castillo dated to before 40,000 years ago. This dating, from a 2012 study, pushes back the timeline of human symbolic expression. The complex includes four UNESCO World Heritage caves (El Castillo, Las Chimeneas, La Pasiega, and Las Monedas) recognized since July 2008 under the Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain. The site's significance is further underscored by its location at the intersection of three valleys near the coast, suggesting it was a strategic area for prehistoric peoples. The El Castillo cave features hand stencils in red ochre from about 35,000 years ago, while Las Monedas contains Magdalenian paintings of animals such as horses, goats, bears, bison, and reindeer from about 13,000 years ago. The discovery of 16th-century coins in Las Monedas adds a historical layer. The caves were explored by early 20th-century archaeologists Hermilio Alcalde del Río and Hugo Obermaier, and later by Eduardo Ripoll Perelló. Their preservation as part of a UNESCO listing ensures continued study and protection of this key site for understanding Paleolithic art and human prehistory.
Did You Know?
- The El Castillo cave contains a red disk dated to before 40,000 years ago, the oldest known dated cave decoration.
- The complex includes four UNESCO World Heritage caves listed in July 2008.
More in World Heritage Sites in Spain 1-24
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