Una porta al passat prehistòric
del nostre territori
Santuari paleolític
de fa uns 37.000 anys
Una porta al passat prehistòric
del nostre territori
Santuari paleolític
de fa uns 37.000 anys
Guided tour
The Caves of l'Espluga open the doors of the prehistoric past of our humanity and encourage you to visit the different human communities that lived in this same place thousands of years ago.
Adventure Route
For the most daring visitors, the visit can continue beyond the Museum, into the most unusual and surprising galleries, going up the subway river.
Educational centers
L'Espluga de Francolí offers a wide range of visits, workshops and activities for all educational levels where culture, leisure and adventure come together.
Research
The discovery of a Paleolithic sanctuary of cave art has turned the Espluga Caves into a key point to study the beliefs and the symbolic universe of prehistoric communities.
Paleolithic sanctuary
Discovered in Espluga de Francolí the first Paleolithic sanctuary of about 37,000 years ago in Catalonia, composed of more than 300 engravings.
Virtual tour
INFORMACIÓ
Do you want to visit the Espluga Caves from home? Discover the interior of the Caves with this 360° virtual tour.
INFORMACIÓ
Discovered in Espluga de Francolí the first Paleolithic sanctuary of about 37,000 years ago in Catalonia, composed of more than 300 engravings.
The discovery is exceptional and marks a milestone in the history of Catalan archaeology.
The engravings were located on October 30, 2019 by Josep Maria Vergès, researcher at the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES).
The shrine consists of figurative representations of animals mainly horses, hinds and oxen as well as abstract symbols. Due to the number and quality of the representations, it is one of the most significant groups of the so-called Paleolithic Mediterranean province.
The gallery of engravings cannot be visited. These were made on layers of very soft sandy silt, in an area of difficult access and reduced dimensions. The fragility of the support means that they can be damaged with the slightest contact and it is easy for this to happen if you are not very careful.