Castañar Cave Interpretation Centre

Aragonite Flowers Beneath Castañar de Ibor

In 1967 a small cavity was discovered beside Castañar de Ibor, full of extremely fine formations: stalactites, flags, flowstones and, above all, the so-called aragonite flowers, glass needles that grow in a fan from a single point and that the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark carries in its logo. The cave opened in Ediacaran dolomites, some 541 million years old, which is why the water running through it is loaded with magnesium and leaves uncommon minerals together: aragonite, dolomite, huntite, magnesite, hydromagnesite and sepiolite. The Junta de Extremadura declared it a Natural Monument in 1997.

It is a network of low chambers of about 2,135 m². Past the entrance ramp, a gallery of about 180 metres leads to the Sala Nevada, the East Labyrinth, the Garden Room, the White Room and the Final Room. The Garden Room is the one the Geopark describes as having the most formations on ceiling, walls and floor.

The Interpretation Centre, the Visit You Can Do

As the cave is barely open, the normal way to get to know it is from the interpretation centre, at the entrance to the village. It has replicas of the most characteristic speleothems, a 3D projection of the interior and panels on the geology of the cave and its surroundings. The guided visit to the centre is free, lasts about 45 minutes and is done in groups of five people at most: it starts in the reception room and tours the exhibition spaces. The rooms are accessible for people with reduced mobility and the centre has its own car park, also suitable for coaches.

Going Down for Real: the Annual List

The Junta closed the cave after an incident on a tourist visit in August 2008, which brought a fungal colonisation, and today it can only be entered under a very strict regime. Visits to the interior are from 1 May to 30 September, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, in groups of five people plus the guide and with about 50 minutes inside. To be considered you must sign up to the visit list with an email to [email protected] from 1 April. It is requested by an individual, only once a year and for five people at most. No price is published for the interior visit: ask when requesting a place.

When the Centre Is Open and When It Is Not

Wednesday to Sunday, from 9:00 to 14:00. In the afternoon, from 16:00 to 18:00 between 16 September and 14 May, and from 17:00 to 19:00 between 15 May and 15 September. It is closed Monday, Tuesday and the third weekend of each month, and usually closes the first half of October and the second half of December. Telephone: 927 554 635.

By the EX-118 to Kilometre 30.7

By the EX-118, the road from Guadalupe to Navalmoral de la Mata, heading north. At kilometre point 30.7 the turning to Castañar de Ibor leaves; the centre is 450 metres along, on the road to the Los Ibores campsite. The cave is beside the centre, along a track leaving that same road.

It fits well into a day in the Villuercas: in the morning the Royal Monastery and in the afternoon the centre, or the other way round depending on the hours. The weekend in Guadalupe and the Villuercas includes it.