Found nestled near Santillana del Mar in the heart of Cantabria, Spain, Cueva de Altamira stands out for its vibrant polychrome paintings. These mesmerizing masterpieces, with the earliest paintings applied around 36,000 years ago, have earned the cave a prestigious spot on the Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain, a World Heritage Site, as recognized by UNESCO in 1985.
Due to conservation efforts, the original cave is no longer accessible, however, visitors may marvel at replica sections. The cave, approximately 270 meters long, born through karst phenomena, boasts rich art deposits from the Upper Solutrean and Lower Magdalenian periods. In the two millennia between these two occupations, the cave was evidently inhabited only by wild animals. Roughly 13,000 years ago, a rockfall sealed the cave's entrance.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
Discuss this with the author and others
No comments yet. Be the first to start the conversation.