Art & Culture
Cultural Heritage
The Aizkorri mountain range in Gipuzkoa province conceals a world that is both fascinating and ancient: the Caves of Arrikrutz. A place the has only become more and more beautiful over the centuries.
The caves, located in the karst complex of Gesaltza-Arrikrutz, make up a vast natural museum carved out of the rock by the power of the water of the river Aldaola. A total of 14 kilometres of subterranean galleries filled with stalactites and stalagmites, dwarfing visitors before the awesome power of nature over the centuries. A cave divided into 6 levels, whose depth inspires both respect and irresistible attraction. But the natural formations are not the only attraction of these caves. Arrikrutz has provided the setting for some of the pioneering caving and palaeontological research in the Basque Country.
Proof of this are the animal remains found. Highlights here include the tracks of woolly rhinoceros, cave hyenas and giant deer.
Also worth mentioning are the bones of cave bears and partial skeletons and skulls of panthers. However, one of the most important finds to date has certainly been the complete skeleton of a cave lion. Gallery 53 is currently the only one open to the public. Throughout its 500-metre length, visitors can take in the stunning beauty of a place that has remained intact through its natural development over the years, in a long silence broken only by the presence of fascinating creatures. In short, a place to find out more about the history of our planet and discover the secrets of the species that lived on it millions of years ago.
Caves