The picturesque village of Rodalquilar sits peacefully in the middle of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park and is a haven for the local artistic community. There are a number of unique independent galleries dedicated to showing off painting, photography, pottery and ceramics. Rodalquilar is a sleepy town with some very nice places to eat and stunning beaches and couldn’t be more different from its past for it is known in the province of Almería for ancient mines of gold! A trip to the natural park is not complete without a visit to the goldmines and abandoned miner's villages. One of the more popular "must see" beaches near Rodalquilar is el Playazo beah, common with many of the beaches in the middle and towards the western end of the natural park, the sea is normally crystal clear and perfect for snorkelling or diving.
This part of Spain has always had an abundance of raw materials and this area of the Cabo de Gata has been extensively mined for 2000 years. The Romans extracted silver here. Later 'lead fever' took hold in the middle of the 19th century. However, the golden years for Rodalquilar followed the discovery of gold around 1880. At the beginning of the 20th century, a British company acquired the mining rights and, under the name 'Minas de Rodalquilar', started actively mining the precious metal. They built the millstone in which 900 tons of rock was ground day by day. Rodalquilar, with its electricity supply and its tennis courts and other luxuries was the envy of the other Andalucian villages.
By the late 1930s, the British company had extracted 2,000 kg of gold and following the end of the Spanish Civil War; the mines were handed over to the Spanish government. In 1956, a second golden age came to Rodalquilar. Around 500 men from faraway countries arrived to seek work in the mines and consequently 4000 kg of gold was extracted, together with 165,000 kg of silver. The village had struck it rich. Among the new buildings erected were schools, a cinema, and a casino. This was not to last. In 1966, Spain's only gold mines were closed down. This could have led to Rodalquilar becoming a ghost town. In fact, it very nearly did so, but probably due to the protected status of the Cabo de Gata, some of the old houses have been restored.
The old mine workings platform has a pleasant enough view. It is not so much the dilapidated buildings that makes the panorama attractive, though they are interesting enough, the Rodalquilar valley beyond the mining area looks splendid - especially with the white houses of the town further on and the range of mountains in the distance.
Near the old disused buildings is an Information Centre where visitors can obtain maps and guides to the area. There is a beautiful botanical garden nearby. There is great botanical wealth in the Natural Park as a result of the proximity to the sea and its semi-arid climate. We’ve counted 20 endemic species. Recommended is a visit to the Botanic Garden of "El Abardinal".
By the late 1930s, the British company had extracted 2,000 kg of gold and following the end of the Spanish Civil War; the mines were handed over to the Spanish government. In 1956, a second golden age came to Rodalquilar. Around 500 men from faraway countries arrived to seek work in the mines and consequently 4000 kg of gold was extracted, together with 165,000 kg of silver. The village had struck it rich. Among the new buildings erected were schools, a cinema, and a casino. This was not to last. In 1966, Spain's only gold mines were closed down. This could have led to Rodalquilar becoming a ghost town. In fact, it very nearly did so, but probably due to the protected status of the Cabo de Gata, some of the old houses have been restored.
The old mine workings platform has a pleasant enough view. It is not so much the dilapidated buildings that makes the panorama attractive, though they are interesting enough, the Rodalquilar valley beyond the mining area looks splendid - especially with the white houses of the town further on and the range of mountains in the distance.
Near the old disused buildings is an Information Centre where visitors can obtain maps and guides to the area. There is a beautiful botanical garden nearby. There is great botanical wealth in the Natural Park as a result of the proximity to the sea and its semi-arid climate. We’ve counted 20 endemic species. Recommended is a visit to the Botanic Garden of "El Abardinal".
Whether by plane via Almeria (45 mins), via Alicante or Murcia (2-3 hours) or Malaga (3-4 hours): We recommend you take by car the easiest route, which leads you to the Motorway E15/A7 taking the exit 487 »Parque Natural Cabo de Gata, Campohermoso, Las Negras« for about 20 miles until you reach Rodalquilar.
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All content © CABODEGATA.COM 2022. All rights reserved.