The Oldest Monuments in Spain
The Sagrada Familia, Burgos’ Cathedral, the Alhambra in Granada, the aqueduct in Segovia… are all must-see monuments if you come to Spain both because of their beauty and their history. But there are also other, less well-known monuments that are well worth seeing, and which tell us a much older history of Spain. Want to know what they are?
Yacimientos de Atapuerca: At this World Heritage Site (since 1997), a mountain range near Burgos, remains of what could be the oldest Europeans have been found. We’re talking about remains that are between 800,000 and 1.2 million years old. It’s truly a discovery that makes one question our history as it’s been told!
Naveta d'Es Tudons: This building, located in Menorca, is believed to have been constructed around 1000 BCE, making it possibly one of the oldest buildings in Europe. It is the most famous example of a talayot, a building made in the shape of an inverted ship, out of stones without mortar and used for funerary purposes.
Cancho Roano: These buildings, dating back to the 6th century CE in Zalamea de la Serena (Badajoz) make up the best conserved Tartessus remains in Spain. But who were the Taretessians? They were the representatives of an ancient civilization from the south of Spain which many specialists identify with the myth of Atlantis. If you’re interested, check out the passionate history if King Arganthonios.
Numantia: In Garray, very close to Soria, rest the remains of the mythic Numantia, a Celtiberian city famous for withstanding the bloody Roman siege for thirteen months in the 1st century CE. Everyone in Spain knows the story of the unyielding Numantians who preferred to commit suicide rather than fall into the hands of the empire.
Castro de Santa Tecla (Santa Tecla Fort): Galicians feel very proud of their Celtic heritage, proof of which can be seen in these well preserved fortresses. One of which, located in Pontevedra, is called Santa Tecla. This fortress stands out in particular because along with remains from the 1st century CE, it also has petroglyphs and inscriptions that could be 4,000 years old.
Have we piqued your interest? We hope so, and we hope that you’ll visit some of our most ancient sites soon.