Geology supports the settlement — Mines beneath the Castellón Alto site

At its base are layers of gypsum formed around two million years ago on the bed of the ancient lake. Much later, the Argaric inhabitants made use of the hill’s shape and its horizontal layers to organise the settlement. The mines you can see belong to another era: gypsum was extracted here between the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th.

The mining left galleries and large pillars of rock that supported the interior. The site panel also points out fractures associated with the use of explosives. It is a good example of how the same landform can serve, at very different times, as both a place to build homes and a source of materials. Observe the entrances from outside: the interior of the mines is not open to visitors.