See and Do
Celtíberos en Contrebia Leucade
tipo de documento Attractions
The Peledons settled at Contrebia Leukade during the Iron Age. There, they constructed a fortress, taking advantage of a rocky escarpment over the river, urbanised the land and excavated houses in the rock, with a rectangular floor plan.
Towards the second half of the 4th century before Christ, other Celtiberian tribes arrived. These tribes extended the settlement and reinforced the defensive systems by excavating a deep moat out of the rock and constructing ramparts around the town. Work was also carried out to supply the settlement with drinking water. Then the Romans arrived and conquered the town in the year 142 BC, leading to the Romanisation of the lands of the Alhama river basin.
At present, the archaeological site is one of the most spectacular ones in the Peninsular and is the most significant one for learning about the extent of the Celtiberian technical development and organisational capacity.
THE DEFENSIVE SYSTEM
The excavation of the moat, which was almost 700 metres long and had a width of around 8 metres, involved the removal of more than 40,000 cubic metres of stone which was subsequently used to construct the ramparts. Only some sections of these ramparts still remain, however the latest archaeological excavations have revealed the complete layout. Those wall sections still standing show evidence of subsequent repairs; such work will need to be chronologically dated in future archaeological work on the site.
The sections conserved in the extreme east pertain to the primitive stage, at the highest point of the archaeological complex. The wall closing off the northern side, the lowest point of the town and right next to the river, differs from the rest of the ramparts in both style and construction technique. It has six semi-circular towers, two of which flank a gateway, and they are predominantly built of well-dressed and well-arranged sandstone. Its construction, brought back several metres with regard to the Celtiberian wall, dates back to the end of the 1st or 2nd century AD.
URBANISM
The town plan adapts to the irregular relief of the site. The houses are aligned in well defined streets, following the contour lines. The house floor plan tends to be rectangular and is often divided into several rooms, arranged lengthwise.
The most complete houses are composed of three rooms: a hall used for auxiliary purposes such as storing wood and implements, locating the weaving loom or storing products for immediate consumption; a main room where the hearth was located slightly above ground and a storeroom which varied in size and, in many houses, acquired a great depth to form huge, underground rooms with a pointed ceiling. Either in the hall or in the main room, but almost always in the contact area, there were one or two stores excavated out of the rock and coated with plaster and covered with a wooden lid.
The conservation of an important part of the side walls excavated out of the rock, in addition to the mortises to receive the beams, reveal the existence of several floors in some of the houses, offsetting the limited surface area by building upwards.
Normally the floors of the houses were made of flattened earth which was repaired and periodically levelled with fresh layers. However, at a later period, coinciding with the Roman rule, special floors were used with mosaics decorated with geometric motifs and schematic animal and plant motifs.
WORKS TO CREATE A WATER SUPPLY
To guarantee a permanent supply of water in sufficient quantities to ensure independence from outside supplies, the inhabitants of Contrebia constructed two works that have no comparison within the Celtiberian period. The constructions involved the creation of two accesses connecting the inner town with the Alhama water table. The southern most access was connected to what is known as the cave of Los Lagos or Lakes, of which the entrance and first few metres of the route are still conserved. The second access was a deep well hollowed out of the rock, with access from inside the town by a flight of steps which were also carved out of the rock and partially arched.
The work was carried out in two stages. The first stage involved hollowing out a well that was supplied through a small channel that took its water from the Alhama river. This above-ground construction meant that, at times of siege, it was easy to intercept the channel and interrupt the water supply. This circumstance must have occurred, leading to the redesign consisting in making the whole complex deeper, the access stairs and well, until the river water table was reached, enabling a constant water supply to be maintained below ground.
For further information about Contrebia Leukade you can visist the Interpretation Centre in Aguilar del Río Alhama.
The Peledons settled at Contrebia Leukade during the Iron Age. There, they constructed a fortress, taking advantage of a rocky escarpment over the river, urbanised the land and excavated houses in the rock, with a rectangular floor plan.
Towards the second half of the 4th century before Christ, other Celtiberian tribes arrived. These tribes extended the settlement and reinforced the defensive systems by excavating a deep moat out of the rock and constructing ramparts around the town. Work was also carried out to supply the settlement with drinking water. Then the Romans arrived and conquered the town in the year 142 BC, leading to the Romanisation of the lands of the Alhama river basin.
At present, the archaeological site is one of the most spectacular ones in the Peninsular and is the most significant one for learning about the extent of the Celtiberian technical development and organisational capacity.
THE DEFENSIVE SYSTEM
The excavation of the moat, which was almost 700 metres long and had a width of around 8 metres, involved the removal of more than 40,000 cubic metres of stone which was subsequently used to construct the ramparts. Only some sections of these ramparts still remain, however the latest archaeological excavations have revealed the complete layout. Those wall sections still standing show evidence of subsequent repairs; such work will need to be chronologically dated in future archaeological work on the site.
The sections conserved in the extreme east pertain to the primitive stage, at the highest point of the archaeological complex. The wall closing off the northern side, the lowest point of the town and right next to the river, differs from the rest of the ramparts in both style and construction technique. It has six semi-circular towers, two of which flank a gateway, and they are predominantly built of well-dressed and well-arranged sandstone. Its construction, brought back several metres with regard to the Celtiberian wall, dates back to the end of the 1st or 2nd century AD.
URBANISM
The town plan adapts to the irregular relief of the site. The houses are aligned in well defined streets, following the contour lines. The house floor plan tends to be rectangular and is often divided into several rooms, arranged lengthwise.
The most complete houses are composed of three rooms: a hall used for auxiliary purposes such as storing wood and implements, locating the weaving loom or storing products for immediate consumption; a main room where the hearth was located slightly above ground and a storeroom which varied in size and, in many houses, acquired a great depth to form huge, underground rooms with a pointed ceiling. Either in the hall or in the main room, but almost always in the contact area, there were one or two stores excavated out of the rock and coated with plaster and covered with a wooden lid.
The conservation of an important part of the side walls excavated out of the rock, in addition to the mortises to receive the beams, reveal the existence of several floors in some of the houses, offsetting the limited surface area by building upwards.
Normally the floors of the houses were made of flattened earth which was repaired and periodically levelled with fresh layers. However, at a later period, coinciding with the Roman rule, special floors were used with mosaics decorated with geometric motifs and schematic animal and plant motifs.
WORKS TO CREATE A WATER SUPPLY
To guarantee a permanent supply of water in sufficient quantities to ensure independence from outside supplies, the inhabitants of Contrebia constructed two works that have no comparison within the Celtiberian period. The constructions involved the creation of two accesses connecting the inner town with the Alhama water table. The southern most access was connected to what is known as the cave of Los Lagos or Lakes, of which the entrance and first few metres of the route are still conserved. The second access was a deep well hollowed out of the rock, with access from inside the town by a flight of steps which were also carved out of the rock and partially arched.
The work was carried out in two stages. The first stage involved hollowing out a well that was supplied through a small channel that took its water from the Alhama river. This above-ground construction meant that, at times of siege, it was easy to intercept the channel and interrupt the water supply. This circumstance must have occurred, leading to the redesign consisting in making the whole complex deeper, the access stairs and well, until the river water table was reached, enabling a constant water supply to be maintained below ground.
For further information about Contrebia Leukade you can visist the Interpretation Centre in Aguilar del Río Alhama.
Museo del Vino de Aldeanueva de Ebro
tipo de documento Attractions
Finca de Ribavellosa
tipo de documento Attractions
Ribavellosa offers the visitor an ideal place to enjoy, understand and interpret the conditions of the natural environment, and learn to respect it. To do so, the property has numerous interpretive panels on vegetation and fauna, and with aVisitors' Centre and a small exhibition of natural elements.
The visitor can also make use of the facilities open to the public, such as strong>picnic areas, sports facilities (with football fields, fronton court and basketball and indoor soccer courts), or thechildren's areafor our smallest visitors, also with specially adaptedtoilets.
Ribavellosa offers the visitor an ideal place to enjoy, understand and interpret the conditions of the natural environment, and learn to respect it. To do so, the property has numerous interpretive panels on vegetation and fauna, and with aVisitors' Centre and a small exhibition of natural elements.
The visitor can also make use of the facilities open to the public, such as strong>picnic areas, sports facilities (with football fields, fronton court and basketball and indoor soccer courts), or thechildren's areafor our smallest visitors, also with specially adaptedtoilets.
Centro de Interpretación y Observación del Buitre Leonado
tipo de documento Attractions
In 2002 it was given first prize for "Sustainable tourism in protected natural spaces", awarded by EUROPARC-Spain ( European Association of Nature Parks).
From the centre visitors can watch the behaviour of the colony of booted eagles and their chicks live, via a monitor screen installed in the room which shows the images transmitted by a radio-controlled video camera on the cliff face.
The centre is home to a complete dusplay of the biology of wild fauna found in the area, with special attention to the booted eagle. It also offers the chance to observe the different habitats of the area through telescopes and binoculars.
In 2002 it was given first prize for "Sustainable tourism in protected natural spaces", awarded by EUROPARC-Spain ( European Association of Nature Parks).
From the centre visitors can watch the behaviour of the colony of booted eagles and their chicks live, via a monitor screen installed in the room which shows the images transmitted by a radio-controlled video camera on the cliff face.
The centre is home to a complete dusplay of the biology of wild fauna found in the area, with special attention to the booted eagle. It also offers the chance to observe the different habitats of the area through telescopes and binoculars.
Museo Vivanco de la Cultura del Vino
tipo de documento Attractions
Yacimientos de icnitas de Cornago - Los Cayos
tipo de documento Attractions
Muy conocido es el principal rastro de este yacimiento. Sin embargo, a pesar de su belleza y su buen estado de conservación no se tratan de huellas en el estricto sentido de la palabra, si no de lo que los técnicos llaman calcos: el barro que conservó la impronta no es la capa directa sobre la que pisó el dinosaurio, sino el estrato inferior que todavía estaba blando. De todas formas los restos en todo el entorno son muy numerosos y podremos encontrar huellas de diferentes tipos sin mucho esfuerzo.
Llama la atención que aquí se han localizado también icnitas de otros animales que se atribuyen a pequeñas aves, a tortugas y a pterosaurios. Los últimos años se están realizando importantes campañas que seguro que podrán aportarnos nuevos e interesantes datos sobre estos textos.
Muy conocido es el principal rastro de este yacimiento. Sin embargo, a pesar de su belleza y su buen estado de conservación no se tratan de huellas en el estricto sentido de la palabra, si no de lo que los técnicos llaman calcos: el barro que conservó la impronta no es la capa directa sobre la que pisó el dinosaurio, sino el estrato inferior que todavía estaba blando. De todas formas los restos en todo el entorno son muy numerosos y podremos encontrar huellas de diferentes tipos sin mucho esfuerzo.
Llama la atención que aquí se han localizado también icnitas de otros animales que se atribuyen a pequeñas aves, a tortugas y a pterosaurios. Los últimos años se están realizando importantes campañas que seguro que podrán aportarnos nuevos e interesantes datos sobre estos textos.
El Barranco Perdido
tipo de documento Attractions
More than 120 million years ago, dinosaurs lived in this place. They lived in a unique setting, the ancient Tethys Sea, where they left their mark. Today we continue to be amazed by their habitat, their food, their way of life, hunting... i.e, the true natural setting of saurians. And we know it because palaeontologists have used all the tools available to them to discover the remains of one of the most amazing animals that have inhabited our planet.
Screening and exhibition area
On the top floor of the entrance building you can enjoy a 3D screening in which the dinosaurs are the stars. In addition, the exhibition area, located in the same building, explores the work of palaeontologists, with a sample of the materials used and the remains of an excavation. The exhibition is interactive, through games (puzzles and touchscreens) in which the visitor is the protagonist.
Further information at www.barrancoperdido.com
More than 120 million years ago, dinosaurs lived in this place. They lived in a unique setting, the ancient Tethys Sea, where they left their mark. Today we continue to be amazed by their habitat, their food, their way of life, hunting... i.e, the true natural setting of saurians. And we know it because palaeontologists have used all the tools available to them to discover the remains of one of the most amazing animals that have inhabited our planet.
Screening and exhibition area
On the top floor of the entrance building you can enjoy a 3D screening in which the dinosaurs are the stars. In addition, the exhibition area, located in the same building, explores the work of palaeontologists, with a sample of the materials used and the remains of an excavation. The exhibition is interactive, through games (puzzles and touchscreens) in which the visitor is the protagonist.
Further information at www.barrancoperdido.com
Yacimientos de icnitas de Enciso
tipo de documento Attractions
The village of Enciso is located in the South of La Rioja, in the Upper Cidacos Valley, 72 kilometres from Logroño, very close to the border with the province of Soria.
There are 1,400 dinosaur tracks recorded in the municipality of Enciso. The Palaeontology Centre is the perfect starting point to visit the tracks. There are a total of 7 finds between Enciso and Navalsaz.
To access this route, go to the village of Enciso and cross the bridge over the river Cidacos. There you will find signs indicating the routes. You can reach them through a new paved road that connects the towns of Enciso and Cornago, although there is also a cross-country trail.
The sites are in the open air, although some are protected by fences and roofs. You can visit them free of charge but you can also hire specialist guides.
VIRGEN DEL CAMPO SITE
This is one of the most interesting sites for scientists and there are periodic excavations and site consolidation tasks.
Access: From the bridge, follow the trail across road on the right to a shrine, located 400 metres from the village.
Interest: It is a find of great interest, with 506 dinosaur tracks. In addition to footprints, there skin marks, tail drag marks and even scratches made by swimming dinosaurs. There are also fossilised tracks showing the start of a fight between a carnivorous dinosaur and a herbivorous one. There are noteworthy marks left by a mud slide caused by a major earthquake as well as ripple marks from waves. If you are patient and spend some time observing attentively, you can discover clearly visible mollusc shells. There are numerous fossilised ripple marks created by waves in shallow sandy areas.
Facilities: The site is visited on a wooden boardwalk which protects the stone surface from being damaged. The place has a full-size reproduction of a herbivorous dinosaur and explanatory panels.
LA SENOBA SITE
One of the first that were studied in the region which also enjoys magnificent views.
Access: It is located 2.2 kilometres from the Virgen del Campo site, going up the track towards the village of Garranzo.
Interest: The outcrop is signposted. It contains 130 tracks, including 10 theropod tracks and 2 ornithopod tracks.
VALDECEVILLO SITE
It is without a doubt one of the most interesting in La Rioja and also, one of the easiest to understand for an amateur. This is in part thanks to the three-dimensional depictions that have been placed there to allow visitors to get an idea of the real features of dinosaurs. It should also be noted that all models are built based on conclusions of researchers from the remains that you are going to visit.
Access: It is located 2 kilometres from the bridge over the river Cidacos. It accessed by the road that goes from Enciso to Cornago. It has a parking lot located at the starting point.
Interest: A convenient path allows you to get close to the footprints. The route starts with 4 theropod tracks, clearly marked and well preserved, which are protected by a shed roof and fencing. They are tracks of carnivorous dinosaurs which measured between 7 and 10 metres in length. They were pigeon-toed and their feet ended in powerful claws. In the middle part of the find, a family of iguanodons, consisting of two adults and a baby, left their footprints there. The ensemble is depicted with life-size sculptures. Finally, at the top of the trail, a sauropod which walked on four legs left 59 tracks. Further up, there is a set of numerous tracks, still under study, on which scientists have not provided conclusions yet.
Facilities: The site has explanatory panels and 5 life-size reproductions of a tarbosaurus (carnivore), a herbivorous family group (two adults and a baby) and a brachiosaurus (23-metre-long sauropod). The sculptures were manufactured based on fossil footprints of dinosaurs in Valdecevillo.
ICNITAS 3 SITE
Access: Located 5 kilometres from Enciso, on the roadside.
Interest: The site is covered by a shed roof. It consists of 21 theropod tracks distributed among 4 trails. Three are of carnivorous dinosaurs of great stature, and the other is a small, 75 cm carnivorous dinosaur.
VILLAR-POYALES SITE
Access: Located on the roadside, 5 metres from the Icnitas 3 find.
Interest: It contains 84 tracks. It is a very interesting find because it is the site where a new track was discovered for the first time in the world. It was named Theroplantigrada encisensis, in honour of the town of Enciso. The trace consists of 20 tracks of a biped, plantigrade dinosaur, which walked on the whole sole of its feet, and not only the toes, like the majority of dinosaurs. It also had an interdigital webbing, indicating that it was specifically adapted to an aquatic environment. The site has explanatory panels.
NAVALSAZ SITE
Access: It is located 8 kilometres from the town of Enciso.
Interest: It contains 138 tracks, mostly from ornithopods. Here is one of the biggest iguanodon tracks in La Rioja. A study of the footprints has determined that the leg of the dinosaur was 5.5 metres long. The spectacular size of the tracks allows a full-grown person to comfortably sit in their interior. The site has explanatory panels.
LA CUESTA DE ANDORRA SITE
Access: After Navalsaz leave the road to walk down the GR-93 trail.
Interest: 21 very large ornithopod tracks made by an iguanodon.
The village of Enciso is located in the South of La Rioja, in the Upper Cidacos Valley, 72 kilometres from Logroño, very close to the border with the province of Soria.
There are 1,400 dinosaur tracks recorded in the municipality of Enciso. The Palaeontology Centre is the perfect starting point to visit the tracks. There are a total of 7 finds between Enciso and Navalsaz.
To access this route, go to the village of Enciso and cross the bridge over the river Cidacos. There you will find signs indicating the routes. You can reach them through a new paved road that connects the towns of Enciso and Cornago, although there is also a cross-country trail.
The sites are in the open air, although some are protected by fences and roofs. You can visit them free of charge but you can also hire specialist guides.
VIRGEN DEL CAMPO SITE
This is one of the most interesting sites for scientists and there are periodic excavations and site consolidation tasks.
Access: From the bridge, follow the trail across road on the right to a shrine, located 400 metres from the village.
Interest: It is a find of great interest, with 506 dinosaur tracks. In addition to footprints, there skin marks, tail drag marks and even scratches made by swimming dinosaurs. There are also fossilised tracks showing the start of a fight between a carnivorous dinosaur and a herbivorous one. There are noteworthy marks left by a mud slide caused by a major earthquake as well as ripple marks from waves. If you are patient and spend some time observing attentively, you can discover clearly visible mollusc shells. There are numerous fossilised ripple marks created by waves in shallow sandy areas.
Facilities: The site is visited on a wooden boardwalk which protects the stone surface from being damaged. The place has a full-size reproduction of a herbivorous dinosaur and explanatory panels.
LA SENOBA SITE
One of the first that were studied in the region which also enjoys magnificent views.
Access: It is located 2.2 kilometres from the Virgen del Campo site, going up the track towards the village of Garranzo.
Interest: The outcrop is signposted. It contains 130 tracks, including 10 theropod tracks and 2 ornithopod tracks.
VALDECEVILLO SITE
It is without a doubt one of the most interesting in La Rioja and also, one of the easiest to understand for an amateur. This is in part thanks to the three-dimensional depictions that have been placed there to allow visitors to get an idea of the real features of dinosaurs. It should also be noted that all models are built based on conclusions of researchers from the remains that you are going to visit.
Access: It is located 2 kilometres from the bridge over the river Cidacos. It accessed by the road that goes from Enciso to Cornago. It has a parking lot located at the starting point.
Interest: A convenient path allows you to get close to the footprints. The route starts with 4 theropod tracks, clearly marked and well preserved, which are protected by a shed roof and fencing. They are tracks of carnivorous dinosaurs which measured between 7 and 10 metres in length. They were pigeon-toed and their feet ended in powerful claws. In the middle part of the find, a family of iguanodons, consisting of two adults and a baby, left their footprints there. The ensemble is depicted with life-size sculptures. Finally, at the top of the trail, a sauropod which walked on four legs left 59 tracks. Further up, there is a set of numerous tracks, still under study, on which scientists have not provided conclusions yet.
Facilities: The site has explanatory panels and 5 life-size reproductions of a tarbosaurus (carnivore), a herbivorous family group (two adults and a baby) and a brachiosaurus (23-metre-long sauropod). The sculptures were manufactured based on fossil footprints of dinosaurs in Valdecevillo.
ICNITAS 3 SITE
Access: Located 5 kilometres from Enciso, on the roadside.
Interest: The site is covered by a shed roof. It consists of 21 theropod tracks distributed among 4 trails. Three are of carnivorous dinosaurs of great stature, and the other is a small, 75 cm carnivorous dinosaur.
VILLAR-POYALES SITE
Access: Located on the roadside, 5 metres from the Icnitas 3 find.
Interest: It contains 84 tracks. It is a very interesting find because it is the site where a new track was discovered for the first time in the world. It was named Theroplantigrada encisensis, in honour of the town of Enciso. The trace consists of 20 tracks of a biped, plantigrade dinosaur, which walked on the whole sole of its feet, and not only the toes, like the majority of dinosaurs. It also had an interdigital webbing, indicating that it was specifically adapted to an aquatic environment. The site has explanatory panels.
NAVALSAZ SITE
Access: It is located 8 kilometres from the town of Enciso.
Interest: It contains 138 tracks, mostly from ornithopods. Here is one of the biggest iguanodon tracks in La Rioja. A study of the footprints has determined that the leg of the dinosaur was 5.5 metres long. The spectacular size of the tracks allows a full-grown person to comfortably sit in their interior. The site has explanatory panels.
LA CUESTA DE ANDORRA SITE
Access: After Navalsaz leave the road to walk down the GR-93 trail.
Interest: 21 very large ornithopod tracks made by an iguanodon.
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