The Mountains of Roman Gold in León
Las Medulas
In the region of El Bierzo, to the northeast of the Montes Aquilanos and near the valley of the river Sil, we find Las Médulas, a fantastic landscape resulting from the gold exploitation by the Romans, and it has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The reddish sunset colour of these slopes has converted the area into a magically mysterious piece of landscape. Who would have thought that such sharp peaks have Roman gold buried within.
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 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)..
Declared
Category: Natural Monument (5,178 ha.)
- Municipalities in the province of León:
- Borrenes,
- Carucedo,
- Las Médulas
- Puente de Domingo Flórez
Visitor Centre
Park House of the Medulas
Here, visitors can obtain an overview of the natural monument and details of places of interest and routes. There are audiovisual resources, as well as 360º panoramic images of several of the sites in this natural space and materials to help visitors plan their day.
Information is also available about the park’s Visitor Centre and the Castilla y León Natural Spaces Network (REN).
Address: Calle de Abajo, s/n. Carucedo. 24442 León.
Telephone: 987 420 622
Email: cp.lasmedulas@patrimonionatural.org
Website: http://www.patrimonionatural.org/casas.php?id_casa=169
Enviromental Areas
- Fauna:
- Wolf, wild boar, partridge and rabbit.
- Relief:
- Spectacular scenery, as result of gold mining from Roman times with a strong color contrast between the tones of the leveled grounds and the environment.
- Vegetation:
- Chestnut, heather, common broom and carqueixa.
Route
Archaeological Hall
Archaeological Hall of Las Medulas
It has a didiactic space with interactive panels on life in the pre-Roman Iron-age settlements, the Roman settlements and the Roman mines.
Address: Carretera de las Médulas, s/n. Las Médulas (Carucedo). León.
