Spain

Enclosed in the industrial southern part of the town of Lorca (Murcia), the Archaeological Park of Los Cipreses occupies the site of an important settlement which dates back to the 3rd millennium BC, and belongs to the so called El Algar Culture. It had eight huts of oval shape, half dug in the soil and with stone walls. The settlement was discovered in 1992 during building works for the local sports centre and was therefore excavated.

Close to the site of the famous Roman town of Juliobriga, in Cantabria, in the small village of Retortillo, the Domus museum provides the interpretation centre for the Roman town. Juliobriga was founded in the age of Octavian and was abandoned in the half of the 3rd century AD. The site was explored since its identification (end of the 18th century) and was excavated in many sessions providing an archaeological area of great interest and beauty.

The site of the Castro is few kilometres north west of the village of Raso, at the southernmost limit of Castilla y Leon, very close to the border with Estremadura, central Spain. Being in a mountain site, the view from it is breathtaking.

The archaeological site of the cave was discovered by accident in 1862, but it was only from the seventies that the beautiful geometric paintings that give the name to the place were secured and the area explored. The cave resulted to be one in a system of caves. Unfortunately, the paintings were still at risk of disappearing and the cave had to be closed to the public in 1982. The archaeological park was part of a national project by the ministry in 1986. Excavations were carried out from 1987 and resulted in the discovery of a settlement around the cave with more than 70 houses dating from the 6th to the 16th century AD. The most sophisticated technologies for conservation are used at the cave and the houses have been restored in situ.

Few kilometres south of La Coruna, in the northern coast of Spain, excavations started in 1947 and discovered a huge (7- 8 hectares) iron age and Roman fortified settlement. In 2002 a new campaign took place with the support from the local committee of La Coruna and the site is now open to the public. Volunteers as well as professionals and university students are involved in the wider frame of the Proyecto Artabria funded also by the Consellería de Cultura de la Xunta de Galicia and both the Ministerios de Cultura and Fomento.

The incredible settlement, placed on a white stone cylindrical spur, is the most ancient to be open to the public in Andalucía. It is located few kilometres west of the village of Galera. The site dates back to the culture of Argar (1800 BC).

The archaeological park is situated east of the village of Campo Lameiro, in Galicia in the west of Spain. The park is part of the project “four parks for four provinces” launched by Rede Galega do Patrimonio Arqueolóxico and was the first to be realized with funding from regional and ministerial organs.

The archaeological and natural Park of Campa-Torres is located 7 km from the town of Gijón in the west side of its bay in the region of Asturias, northern Spain. It was one of the first results of the project “archaeological parks” by the Ministry of Culture in 1989 and brings together high archaeological value and striking natural surroundings.