Leon information:
Carucedo: Las Médulas
Las Médulas was declared world heritage
by UNESCO in 1997. They were the last to witness Roman mining.
After centuries of mining inactivity, las Médulas have
become an attraction among tourists due to their beautiful landscape
and museum consisting of an archaeological room where you are
given a fully detailed description of the period when the largest
open cast gold mine in the Roman Empire operated.
Las Médulas, situated in the village of El Bierzo in León,
not only provide visitors with the chance to experience an amazingly
picturesque area but also to learn about an odd and complicated
mining system that Plino, the roman geographer and naturalist
referred to as ruina montium (literally: mountain destruction).It
consisted of building large water deposits in the upper parts
of the mountains by forming a network of tracks along the mountain
sides. The sudden release of water turbulently rushed down the
mountain side, dragging the soil with it towards the lower part
of the mountain where the washers were. On occasions the water
was pumped through a complex network of shafts and tunnels that
perforated the mountain, breaking up the rock.
The tourist routes available in this area of natural beauty allow
visitors to enjoy themselves to the full, whether they marvel
at the panoramic views from the Mirador de Orellán (balcony),
wander into the darkness of the Galerías (tunnels) and
Bocaminas (pitheads) or take a walk through the the Cueva de la
Encantada (cave) in the middle of the great mining pit. In springtime,
the numerous chestnut trees, heather plants and broom decorate
the area with their colour.
Source: Web server of Instituto de Turismo de España, TURESPAÑA.