Las Médulas is an ancient Roman gold mine located in El Bierzo, Leon, Spain that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Romans used extensive water systems over 100 km in length to excavate the gold, leaving behind uniquely eroded landscapes. Local legend says that the sword of Roland, nephew of Charlemagne, was thrown into one of the lakes at Las Médulas after a battle. The area today offers hiking trails among the remnants of the Roman mining operations and landscapes sculpted by hydraulic mining.
2. LOCATION
The town of Las Médulas is
located in the region of El Bierzo,
Leon. This small mountain town
marks the natural beginning of
the ascent towards Las Médulas,
a unique cultural landscape that
was declared a World Heritage
by UNESCO.
3. HISTORY:
It is considered the biggest gold mine opencast of the Roman Empire.
The Médulas are the consequence of the powerful Roman engineering
was able to build waterways with over 100 km in length. The system
was used by the Romans to save large amounts of water in tanks that
currently don’t exist. These large amounts of water were used to wash,
transport and tear down, all these essential tasks for mining the
Médulas.
The water is transported from
the highest and distant
mountains, by means of canals
dug in the rock at a lower
elevation than 1% in some
cases reach the 100km in
length and can be covered
today in many sections.
4. THE LEGEND:
On the lake which is in The Medulas, the following
legend is told: Roland’s sword, Charlemagne’s nephew,
is inmmersed in it.
The sword was called
Durandarte. Ended up
in the lake after Roldán
tried unsuccessfully to
break it against a rock
to not fall into
Basques’hands, after
suffering a defeat.
5. ITINERARY:
• Médulas de
Yeres
• Campo de
Breña
• Mirador de
Orellán
• La Cuevona
• La Encantada
• Lago Sumido
• Pueblo de Las
Médulas
• Mirador de
Pedrices
6. FAUNA:
Above the boar , grouse,
deer and wild cat , there
are also rabbits , hares ,
genets, dormice,
badgers, hawks, doves ,
several species of
reptiles.
In riparian forests more
than a hundred species
of birds, but highlights
insectivorous birds.
7. FLORA:
Its location in the Bierzo
depression , characterized by
the Mediterranean climate with
Atlantic influence makes
possessing a plant variety :
“escobas”, “retamas”, “aulagas”,
”jaras”, “brezos”, “sauces”,
“álamos”, “encinas”, “rebollos”
and “alcornoques”, also fruit
trees near the villages of the
area; but the flagship plant is
the “Castaño”, some of this
issue are old trees.
