Las Fuentes del Marqués and the Torreón de los Templarios in Caravaca de la Cruz
A wonderful natural beauty spot with an interpretation centre and water features in Caravaca
Las Fuentes del Marqués is an attractive natural park area about 2km from the centre of Caravaca de la Cruz and is an ideal place to escape the milling crowds, go for a quiet picnic and enjoy the great outdoors. So treasured is the site that a special management team is charged with ensuring that it does not become overcrowded or spoilt and that the natural surroundings are fully respected, and in recent times, although visiting the park is free of charge, those who are not residents of Caravaca have periodically been asked to book beforehand (click here for bookings).
History
The park lies around El Torreón de los Templarios, a name evoking the age of the Knights Templar, although the building that we see today was actually part of a residential complex belonging to the estates of the noble family, the Marquises de Uribe.
The name is believed to have come from the existence of a structure in this same location back in the 13th century, when the lands were controlled by the Knights Templar. This is the source of natural springs, and clear water flows from the ground to fill the lakes which make this place such an attractive picnic location, but in those days water was life, and control of water was strictly regulated by those in power, so the Templars would have jealously guarded the source of the water with some sort of fortified structure, the building we see today replacing it in the 16th century.
The first documented reference to the area comes to us from the Moorish geographer Al-Himyari (13th to 14th century).
The building here now was part of a residential complex and was given its existing name at some point in the 19th century.
Location
Las Fuentes is a short drive to the west of the city centre and on arrival there is ample parking. Click here for map.
By car the most usual route is alomg the Avenida de los Andenes and the non the Camino de Mayrena, while walkers normally use the Camino del Huerto.
This location is at the foot of the Sierra del Gavilán and the Seirra del Buitre, and occpuies an area of 17.4 hectares. It enjoys a special microclimate due to the presence of abundant water, and this makes it the perfect home to a wide variety of plants and animals.
The springs which are the source of the water in the park are located at the far end of the park and are known locally as the Sarten Grande and the Sarten Pequeña.
Las Cuevas del Marqués
Another important feature is the area of the Cuevas del Marqués, on a hillside overlooking the Fuentes: based on ancient ceramic fragments found here, it is thought that these caves were home to a small but stable human population around the 11th century, possibly established for either agricultural or military purposes.
The cave was artificially excavated in Moorish times and there are certainly signs of some kind of artisan activity having been carried on there, possibly related to the making of leather goods or the distillation of alcohol and/or aromatic plants.
Interpretation centre
Visitors gravitate towards the Centro de Interpretación de la Naturaleza, which is inside the 16th-century Torreón de los Templarios and offers a host of information about the environmental conditions and biosystem of Las Fuentes del Marqués: this is frequently visited by parties of schoolchildren as part of their environmental education.
Youth hostel
Las Fuentes del Marqués is also home to a youth hostel in a restored in the two-storey 19th-century building, where up to 44 people can sleep and from where hiking and other rural adventure activities are organized.
There are also a restaurant and kiosk on site.
Above all, though, Las Fuentes del Marqués is a wonderful, tranquil spot which can be enjoyed all year round with varying shades of colour reflecting the changing seasons as the leaves on the trees follow their natural cycle.
RULES FOR VISITORS
Please do not bring picnic furniture to the park.
Do not wash used plates etc in the park.
No fishing or hunting.
No bathing in the water.
No lighting fires, and please collect cigarette butts.
No camping.
All pets must be secured on a leash at all times.
No motor vehicles except in authorized areas.
Please follow the paths when walking.
Respect local flora and fauna at all times.
All waste must be deposited in the containers provided.
Further information about Caravaca is available from the tourist office (Plaza de España, 7, telephone 968 702424, email turismo@caravacadelacruz.es).
Or for more local information, including the Holy Jubilee Year as well as local news and what’s on, go to the home page of Caravaca Today.
