In Almería
Take a Peek Inside Pulpí’s Giant Geode
Location of La Geoda de Pulpí
Address: Poligono S-AG2A, 33, 04640 Pulpí, Almería
In december 1999, members from Madrid’s Mineralogist Group discovered Pulpí’s Geode in Mina Rica, a colossal mineral geode measuring 8 metres length times 2 metres height fully covered in huge gypsum crystals. It’s upholstered with gypsum crystals, some of them measuring 2 metres long. Its transparency and spotlessness make it a wonder of nature. Given its dimensions as well its crytals size, transparency and perfection, this is a unique phenomenon worldwide (Calaforra & García-Guinea, 2000).
The origin of this outlandish geode can be explained in two stages: the gap formation and the subsequent mineral deposit on the inside. The gap was produced by dolomite karstifications that make up the Sierra del Aguilón, accompanied hidro-termal volcanic shots. The mineral deposit could follow a mixed model (Karstic and hidro-termal).
Geologists describe a geode as a spherical or egg-shaped rock with a sparkly hidden treasure inside: a hollow cavity lined with crystal formations. They’re not particularly rare; geodes are found all over the world, especially in deserts. The kind of crystals they contain depends on factors like location, temperature and the type of rock the geode is formed from.
They can be as small as a centimetre or so long. What makes the Pulpí geode so special is its spectacular size. At approximately eight metres long, two metres wide and two metres high, and covered with translucent gypsum crystals up to nearly two metres in length it is widely regarded as the world’s largest accessible geode.
Members of the Madrid Mineralogist Group discovered the geode in 1999 during an expedition to the abandoned Mina Rica mine in Pulpí’s Aguilón mountains. Some 60 metres down they spotted gypsum crystals on the wall of a hole. Intrigued, they made the hole big enough to get through and found they were looking at an incredible geological phenomenon.
The geode was formed in two phases. First, there was the formation of the hole due to the karstification of the rocks which make up the Sierra del Aguilón, then the mineral deposits which became the crystals. The crystals are 165,000 years old. See it for yourself if you’re interested in learning about a key chapter of Costa de Almería history or looking for something different to do, the 90-minute guided tour of the Mina Rica and the chance to see the giant geode for yourself are definitely worth it.
Specialised guides take visitors through the main galleries and spectacular chambers created by miners to exploit the mineral riches inside the mountain. They talk about the mine geology, show you traces of unusual minerals and explain how different types of ore – lead, iron and silver – were extracted and transported to the coast from the mid-19th century until the mine closed in the 1960s. A lot of thought has gone into giving visitors an insight into what life down in the mine was like. You see details like tools the miners used, what they wore and how they ate and drank during their long hours toiling under the earth.
The guides know their stuff and are happy to answer questions. The tour highlight comes at the end when you get to look inside the jewel in the mine’s crown: the huge geode. It’s located between the third and fourth levels, and to reach it you walk down a 15-metre spiral staircase or go down in a lift. You can’t go inside the geode because the crystals are easily damaged, but take your turn to stick your upper body through the aperture and marvel at this amazing creation of Mother Nature.
Visits must be booked in advance, which you can do easily by going to the official Pulpí geode website. The ticket includes entry to the castle in San Juan de los Terreros, where you can experience a virtual tour of Mina Rica and the geode. You’re advised to get to Mina Rica 30 minutes before your visit begins to give you time to pick up the sticker which identifies you as booked on a tour.
If you have time to spare you can take in the views of the surrounding area or check out the gift shop. Items for sale include minerals extracted from Mina Rica, jewellery and various gifts. Proceeds go towards preserving the mine and the geode and the costs of keeping it open to the public. Tours are in groups of up to 12 and are in Spanish, but it’s possible to book group visits of up to 15 with an English-speaking guide. Alternatively, there are audio guides in English, French, German and Flemish available at the information office.
There’s a fair bit of walking and going up and down steps between the different levels of the mine; 80 in fact without including the staircase to the geode. You should wear comfortable clothes and appropriate footwear. If you have certain medical conditions or mobility issues you should check whether they prevent from you being allowed to do the tour. Earlier this year the Junta de Andalucía awarded Mina Rica and the geode “Natural Monument” status in recognition of their environmental and geological value and uniqueness and to guarantee their preservation.
The opportunity to visit them is a privilege and it’s essential to respect the regulations designed to protect them and ensure visitors’ safety. You must wear the helmet given to you at the mine entrance throughout the tour. The same goes for face masks. You’re not allowed to take bags into the mine, touch the minerals, crystals or structures inside or take your own photos. The guides take pics of each person in their group at the main points of interest, including the giant geode, and for just one euro they’ll email you memorable images of yourself in this remarkable underground world.
For more information and to book tickets 950 962 727 informacion@geodapulpi.es http://www.geodapulpi.es
City News
The Fifth Mojácar La Vieja Excavation Campaign Begins: an Open Door to the History of Eastern Almería
Mojácar Mayor Francisco García Flores, along with Noemí Linares and María Gracia Alarcón, the Councillors for Culture and Tourism respectively, accompanied by the project director José María Martín Civantos, as well as Jorge Rouco and Pedro Gurriarán, an architect specializing in heritage restoration, visited the works being carried out at the Mojácar la Vieja archaeological dig.
In this fifth campaign, the second within the general research project, 30 archaeologists from all over the country are working. They will remain in Mojácar until the 15th of this month when another group of 40 archaeologists will replace them on the dig until the end of the works planned for 2023, scheduled to finish at the end of September.
Jorge Rouco Collazo, an INCIPIT-CSIC researcher, director of the PGI, and the excavation campaign, will be present throughout the campaign, as well as José Maria Martín Civantos, University of Granada MEMOLab coordinator. Additionally, the project has the collaboration of the University of Exeter Institute of Islamic Archaeology in the UK through the presence of Cristina Martínez Carrillo, who is doing her doctoral thesis, and the collaboration of the CSIC Institute of History for the study of archaeobotanical remains, with the presence of Antonio Peralta Gómez, also doing his doctoral thesis.
The Mojácar Mayor, together with his councillors, toured the entire archaeological site, learning first-hand about the relevance of Mojácar la Vieja in the history of Muslim Spain in the area and in Eastern Almería, as well as the importance of the discoveries being made as the excavations progress. Among the matters discussed at the foot of the site, the planning of the expected steps in the future and the possibility of requesting assistance and collaborations with regional and national administrations stand out.
Although only a few days of excavations have passed, various ceramic pieces have already been found, and the first settlement in Mojácar is taking shape. It is important to remember that the archaeological site is open to the public, not only for visiting and asking any questions that may arise, but also, and most importantly, for participating in the works the specialists are carrying out and being able to be an archaeologist for a day or for the time considered appropriate.
Within this open and participatory character of the excavations, the workshops being held to find out about the history of the locality and its surroundings stand out. Among them are an archaeological ceramics workshop, interactive games about Mojácar la Vieja, washing in the fountain the old way, drawing and painting days, as well as different guided tours of the archaeological site.
City News
The Valparaiso Foundation Cedes Land to Mojácar for the La Vieja Archaeological Site
“Mojácar Mayor, Francisco García Cerdá, and Beatrice Beckett, President of the Valparaíso Foundation, have signed an agreement to transfer the land owned by the foundation located on the site of Mojácar la Vieja. As a result of this agreement, the Local Council will be able to carry out all the actions aimed at the consolidation of the site.
The contract signed between the Council and the foundation, lasting 50 years, represents a major advance and a notable boost to the Mojácar la Vieja excavation works. It will allow for the expansion of the collaboration framework with other entities, including the state, the possibility of accessing official and private financial assistance, and, among other matters, creates the guarantee of solidity and commitment to the continuity of the works that are being carried out at the site. This important agreement opens up new lines of work for the next excavation works. That corresponding to 2023 will start next month.
Thanks to the transfer of this land, and with the cession of other local minority owners of the Mojácar la Vieja hill, Mojácar Council plans to initiate the request for assistance and collaborations from higher administrations, both at the state and autonomous community levels. Mojácar la Vieja is currently included in the 2022-2025 General Research Project, which allows for having a conservation, maintenance, and management plan for the site that gives access to facilitating the highlighting of the importance of the site, increasing its promotion among residents and visitors. As of today, and within this framework of the 2022-2025 General Research Project, Mojácar la Vieja annually receives an important team of archaeologists, national and international, who continue the investigation work on the site that began five years ago.
In 2018, Mojácar Council started, thanks to the University of Granada and Memolab (Biocultural Archaeology Laboratory), the first exploration, adaptation, and research work on the Mojácar la Vieja hill. With these actions and thanks to the exhaustive work carried out by the archaeologists from Granada, the historic and cultural value of the site was uncovered, making important advances in each campaign, both from the point of view of their finds and in its strategic positioning in the field of archaeology and in the study of these first Islamic settlements in eastern Almería. The Mojácar Mayor thanked Beatrice Beckett and the Valparaíso Foundation for the support received over all these years on the Mojácar la Vieja project, of great relevance for the municipality and for the historic studies of the province, and especially for the confidence received with this important step of the cession of their land located in a part of this archaeological zone.
The Valparaíso Foundation is a cultural foundation of national scope, dedicated to the patronage of activities in all artistic disciplines. Beatrice Beckett founded, together with her husband Paul Beckett, the Valparaíso Foundation and the Artists Residence after arriving in Mojácar in 1964 and in 1972 acquiring the estate where both projects are located. Every year in Mojácar Valparaíso hosts artists from different disciplines from all over the world, among them theater, music, painting, photography, sculpture, and literature. With the aim of promoting culture in Mojácar, which has always been a place of artistic inspiration, the Council has for years been collaborating with this foundation, a collaboration which maintains its continuity over time and under which new actions are not ruled out.”
City News
Maria Flores Fernández Winner of the Mojácar Saint Augustine 2023 Festivities Poster Competition
The winning poster for the 2023 patron saint festivities in honor of Saint Augustine has been unveiled in the Mojácar Council Plenary Hall. This poster, selected through a competition organized by the local authority’s Festivities Department, will serve as the official image for the upcoming celebrations.
Twelve entries were submitted for the competition, and the organizing jury narrowed it down to three finalists. The ultimate winner was determined through social media and popular vote. María Flores Fernández, an 18-year-old native of Mojácar with a deep connection to her hometown, emerged as the competition’s victor with her artwork.
María actively participates in various activities and cultural events in Mojácar, including playing the saxophone in the Municipal Music Band. Her passion for graphic design led her to pursue studies at the Superior Design School in Murcia next term. With her winning poster, María aimed to strike a balance between tradition and modernity, preserving the essence of the festivities while appealing to younger generations.
The winning artwork, created using digital techniques, boasts a strong composition and a clear message. The official presentation of the poster was attended by Mojácar Mayor Francisco García Cerdá and Festivities Councillor Jesús Montoya, who expressed their gratitude to all participants for their high-quality submissions. They acknowledged the difficulty of selecting the finalists due to the outstanding quality of the entries. The winning poster will soon be displayed throughout the municipality and in the festivities book, showcasing María’s talent and capturing the spirit of the upcoming celebrations.
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