The Sources of the Marquis

The natural setting of the sources of the marquis It is located just two kilometers from caravaca de la cruz, in the province of Murcia. It is a wonderful space that owes its name to the water springs that exist in its bowels and to its former owners, the Marquises of San Mamés.

In addition to constituting a beautiful park for the inhabitants of this Murcian town, Las Fuentes is a true natural lung for the area. And, above all, a space for enormous beauty and ecological value. So that you visit them knowing everything you are going to find, below, we show you what you need to know about the Fuentes del Marqués.

Las Fuentes del Marqués, some technical data

This natural area is also cataloged as Historic place and it is one of the main tourist attractions of the already beautiful Caravaca de la Cruz. Later, we will also tell you about this villa. But now you should know that the Sources occupy an area of ​​approximately 17,4 hectares and are located at the foot of the Gavilan and Vulture mountain ranges.

Due to the abundant presence of water and its microclimate, the place has a wide range of plant and animal species. Among the former, Aleppo and Canary pines, ash trees, holm oaks and poplars abound. But you can also see native species such as the gall oak or the hackberry.

As for the fauna, it has a large population of birds. Regarding the latter, above all, you will see owls, nightingales and hoopoes. However, there are also hawks, booted eagles and kestrels. Likewise, it is inhabited by numerous aquatic species such as barbels, carp, trout or leper tortoises. And, likewise, you will see mammals such as squirrels or wild boars.

On the other hand, the sources that give it its name are found in the final part of the area. There are two of them and they are called pans (the big and the small). In total, they have a large average flow rate of 320 liters per second. The entire area is covered by paths and tracks that offer you beautiful hiking trails. They even communicate with others that pass through the ravines of the aforementioned Sierra del Gavilán.

How to get to the sources?

Once you are in Caravaca de la Cruz, it will be very easy for you to reach the Fuentes del Marqués. You must take Avenida de los Andenes and then either Camino de Mairena or Camino del Huerto. If you travel by car, you have to take the first one. On the other hand, if you are walking, we recommend the second.

In any case, both come together in the mill to form a unique route to the Sources. You should not worry about parking, since you have one at the entrance of the place, right next to the restaurant and the hostel that the area also offers you.

The latter is located in a 36th century building that responds to popular construction canons and is located on the banks of the river. It has two floors and capacity for XNUMX people. You can stay in it. If you do, you will be able to participate in the numerosas actividades that organizes Thus, monumental, landscape and gastronomy routes, conferences, exhibitions or nature tours. Precisely, this leads us to talk about what you are going to find in the Fuentes del Marqués, in addition to spectacular landscapes.

What do the Fuentes del Marqués offer you?

Logically, the most extraordinary thing about the Fuentes del Marqués is its beauty and ecological value. But, in addition, they offer you other attractions. Thus, at one end, you have the Caves of the Marquis, which is really only one dug into the ground already in Muslim times. Pipelines and sinks have been found on it that show the existence of some type of craft activity, perhaps alcohol distillation or leather dyeing.

This has been confirmed by the archaeological site of El Chopo, where walls, ceramics from the XNUMXth century and other utensils have been found. This suggests some type of Arab building, probably for agricultural or industrial purposes.

However, it may be more valuable Keep of the Templars, a construction of the XNUMXth century. It was built on top of an older one (from the XNUMXth century) made, precisely, by the Templars, hence its name. It has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest and currently houses the Nature Interpretation Center.

This offers you samples about the flora and fauna, not only of the Sources, but of the entire council of Caravaca de la Cruz and his region. It also has rooms that explain the history, customs and ancestral culture of the area. Precisely, due to the great ecological value that this place has, it is important that we explain the rules that are required for your visit.

How to access the Sources and rules for the visit

You don't need weekdays book your visit to the sources. However, on weekends you must do it to be able to enter the place. This procedure is carried out on the official page of the historic site and citizens registered in Caravaca do not need to do so. On the other hand, admission costs a symbolic euro from which retirees, children under fourteen, the unemployed and people with disabilities are exempt.

This amount is charged for facilitate the maintenance of the natural area. For the same purpose, you have to comply with various rules during your visit. Failure to comply, in very serious cases, can lead to a penalty of up to three thousand euros.

Among these rules are the prohibitions on using motor vehicles, camping freely and lighting fires. Neither can you bathe in its fountains or fish or wash utensils in its waters. Hunting is also prohibited. It is also mandatory to drive along the marked paths and respect both the flora and fauna. Finally, if you bring pets, they must be restrained and all rubbish must be thrown into the containers.

You even need to ask official authorization to carry out activities within the area. For example, if you want to do photographic and video reports or if you want to organize a sports competition. In such cases, the request is made to the City Hall of Caravaca.

What to see near the Fuentes del Marqués

Once we have explained everything you need to know to visit the Fuentes del Marqués, we are going to advise you what you should see in its surroundings. Above all, we must tell you about the precious caravaca de la cruz, to whose municipality they belong and which is only two kilometers away. but also of Cehegin, which is about ten and has the Iberian and Roman ruins of Begastri. We are going to talk to you about both locations.

caravaca de la cruz

This small town of only twenty-five thousand inhabitants is of capital importance for Christianity, as it is considered one of its eight holy cities. This is because it has a perpetual Jubilee Year around the Blessed and True Cross, which is saved in your Basilica of the same name.

This is a beautiful and imposing baroque construction that, in turn, is within the enclosure of the old Alcazar of Caravaca. It is an impressive fortress of Arab origin built between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, although it was later restored. Around this, moreover, is the old town of medieval origin. But, going back to the basilica, it also has a museum that houses paintings, goldsmiths and other pieces.

It is not the only temple that you should visit in Caravaca. The church of the savior It is a Renaissance jewel, although it also has a spectacular Baroque altarpiece; that of loneliness, from the XNUMXth century, has been deconsecrated and today houses the Archaeological Museum; that of the Society of Jesus, also converted into a civil building, is the current House of Culture and San Jose's, in Rococo style, belongs to the convent of the Discalced Carmelite Mothers.

Moreover, the Temple or Bathtub It is a singular Baroque construction, the work of the architect jamie bort. And, in the area where Caravaca was expanded after overcoming its old walls, you can see various stately homes such as the palaces of the Encomienda and the Uribe. Finally, throughout the city there are several monuments due to the sculptor Rafael Pibelda.

But we cannot talk about Caravaca without talking about the Wine Horses. It is a festivity that is celebrated between May XNUMX and XNUMX and is considered to be Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Therefore, we advise you to visit the town on those dates.

Cehegin

We end our visit to the Fuentes del Marqués and Caravaca in the town of Cehegín, which, as we told you, is about nine kilometers away. We have already mentioned the archaeological site of Cabezo Roenas or remains of the Ibero-Roman city of Begastri.

But you should also visit in Cehegín its old towndeclared Historical-Artistic Set. Among its outstanding buildings are the Royal Mercy Hospital, baroque palace of the Fajardo or the Jasper House, equally baroque, although with rococo elements. Many of these monuments are found in the Plaza de la Constitución, where the church of Santa Maria Magdalena. This is the most important in the town, it was built between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries and has been declared a National Monument.

Next to it, we recommend that you see other temples such as el of loneliness, from the same period; the Concepción church, which is Renaissance, and the convent of San Esteban, which houses a precious baroque altarpiece and the image of Our Lady of Wonders, patron saint of Cehegín.

In conclusion, we have explained everything you need to know to visit the sources of the marquis. But we have also told you about what you can see in the beautiful caravaca de la cruz and in the no less beautiful Cehegin. But we do not want to end without mentioning the town of Moratalla, which is also nearby and has an impressive heritage of rock art. Dare to visit this area of ​​the province of Murcia. She is so pretty you won't regret it.