10 haunted places in Murcia to visit or at least know about this Halloween
The Region of Murcia is home to a spooky array of places that promise to delight lovers of legend, mystery and the paranormal
Halloween is here, and whilst the Region of Murcia is renowned for its beautiful coastline, it's also home to its fair share of mystery, enigmas and legends.
There's no shortage of places that are sure to appeal to lovers of the paranormal and fans of discovering places steeped in folklore, stories that defy reality and inspire terror.
Here's a list of 10 'haunted' or eerily distinct places in the Region of Murcia:
1. Sanatorium for tuberculosis sufferers in Sierra Espuña (Sanatorio de tuberculosos en Sierra Espuña)
This immense building, the interior of which today is inaccessible, was in operation for almost 30 years. Hundreds of patients lived and died in isolation. This fact, together with alleged apparitions, unexplained activities and spooky noises, have made it one of the places with the most terrifying aura in the Region of Murcia.
2. Orphanage of El Valle Perdido (Orfanato de El Valle Perdido)
This is another place closely linked to human suffering. In this case, the orphans of the Civil War who did not exactly find a home here, but rather a place where they grew up under a strict discipline full of punishments. Abandoned for years, it is said that spooky shadows have been seen and inexplicable, eerie voices heard there.
3. La Concepción Castle in Cartagena (Castillo de la Concepción de Cartagena)
Legend has it the walls of this castle overlooking Cartagena hold a terrible story, a tale of impossible love that ended with a wife being walled up alive by her husband, in a fit of jealous rage. It's said that the woman's spirit still roams the castle, that a white nebula has been seen passing through the walls and that strange noises have been heard.
4. Romea Theatre in Murcia (Teatro Romea de Murcia)
Murcia's most famous theatre is also a cursed building, according to folklore. It stands on the site of an expropriated Dominican convent, and it's said that the friars cursed it, assuring that it would suffer three fires. Two of them, in 1877 and 1899, have already taken place. The third? Legend has it the blaze will take place when the theatre is full, which is why it's never sold out.
5. Casa Cayitas de Alcantarilla (Casa Cayitas de Alcantarilla)
Just thinking about the history of the Spanish Holy Inquisition is enough to send shivers up your spine. What is now the headquarters of the Alcantarilla Historical Archive was once the HQ of the dreaded Holy Office. Here people accused of witchcraft, prostitutes and homosexuals were imprisoned and tortured mercilessly. Incidentally, the macabre dungeons are still preserved.
6. Mount Arabí in Yecla (Monte Arabí de Yecla)
The Monte Arabí in Yecla is a protected area in the Region of Murcia that is worth a visit simply for the fabulous scenery. But it's worth knowing that here, cave paintings have been found that are said to have "a singular magnetic field" and there have been numerous reports of paranormal phenomena. Legend also has it that a cave full of undiscovered treasures is hidden in these mountains.
7. The Usero waterfall in Bullas (Salto del Usero de Bullas)
Throughout the length and breadth of the Region of Murcia there are different places where it is said that figures of women have appeared out of the blue with no real explanation, rhyme or reason. The Salto del Usero waterfall is one of them. The story goes that the spirit is that of a heartbroken Moorish woman who drowned in these waters for the love of a Christian.
8. White Mare of Águilas (Yegua Blanca de Águilas)
Another legend from the Reconquest. In this case, it's said a Moorish prince who was fleeing, on arriving at this point, cast a spell so that the land would open up and his wife could escape with her most precious treasures. He then cast another spell to turn his mare to stone and mark the spot, before disappearing into the night on the back of a black horse.
9. José Maestre Tunnel in La Unión (Túnel de José Maestre de La Unión)
This is the old passageway of a mining train that operated until the 1980s. Today it is a graveyard of locomotives and wagons that only the bravest would dare to cross. Although it is not without mystery, it also has its own particular charm.
10. More mysterious places in the Region of Murcia
For lovers of mysteries, legends and horror stories, the Region can be a real discovery of terror. The Guevara Palace in Lorca, Mount Ope in Archena and Murcia Cathedral are just some of the other places well worth a visit this Halloween.
You might also like: Sierra Espuña, a Mecca for nature enthusiasts, adventure sports and relaxation!
Images: Turismo Región de Murcia
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