Cantabria information
Santillana del Mar: Altamira Caves
The cave paintings are some 14,000 years old and represent bison, deer, boars, horses, and so on.
The line of the cave is irregular and measures some 270 m long. It has a lobby, a gallery and the side room. The caves contain one of the best examples of prehistoric cave paintings. The paintings are some 14,000 years old and represent bison, deer, boars, horses, and so on. They are done in natural red ochre paints, outlined in black. Due to the fact that access to the Caves is restricted (it is necessary to reserve over three years in advance) in order to ensure their conservation, its structure and paintings have been painstakingly reproduced in the Neocave, using the same pictorial procedures. Thus, the visitor can admire the great ceiling with the polychromatic bison and visit the workshop of these painters, where the techniques used in this masterpiece of cave painting are explained.
Don't miss:
The famous polychromatic bison, portrayed in relief due to the protuberances of the rock, stands out. The reproduction of the paintings can be seen in the Neocueva.
Opening hours
The visits are very restricted. Permission must be requested three years in advance. The cave will be closed indefinitely as of 1 September.
Address
Zona Cuevas de Altamira, 39330 Santillana
Tel. +34 942818005
Source: Web server of Instituto de Turismo de España, TURESPAÑA.