- Region. Aragón (Zaragoza and Teruel)
- Declared a global geopark: 2012 and renewed in 2020
- Protected area: 270,000 hectares
- Towns and villages: Zaragoza and Teruel – Aguaviva, Alcorisa, Aliaga, Allepuz, Berge, Bordon, Camarillas, Cantavieja, Cañada de Benatanduz, Cañada de Verich, Cañada Vellida, Cañizar del Olivar, Castel de Cabra, Castellote, Crivillen, La Cuba, Cuevas de Almuden, Ejulve, Estercuel, Fortanete, Fuentes Calientes, Galve, Gargallo, La Ginebrosa, Hinojosa de Jarque, La Iglesuela del Cid, Jarque de la Val, Mas de las Matas, Mata de los Olmos, Mezquita de Jarque, Mirambel, Miravete de la Sierra, Molinos, Mosqueruela, Los Olmos, Las Parras de Castellote, Pitarque, Puertomingalvo, Seno, Tronchón, Villarluengo, Villarroya de los Pinares, La Zoma
Points of interest
The Maestrazgo global geopark lies between Zaragoza and Teruel in a very mountainous region at the eastern end of the Iberian System. The main range is the Sierra de Gúdar located roughly in the center. Other important ranges are the Sierra de la Lastra, the Sierra de Garrocha, the Sierra de Caballos, the Sierra de la Cañada, the Sierra Carrascosa and the Sierra del Rayo. The peaks of the highest mountains are Peñarroya at 2019 metres, Alto del Pobo at 1,770 metres and Tarayuela at 1,738 metres. they are frequently covered with snow during the winter months.
The Maestrazgo Geopark Viewpoint Network
The Maestrazgo Geopark Viewpoint Network was created with the aim of renovating, improving and installing information and interpretation points of geological heritage in conjunction with other cultural and heritage elements and the project has been running since 2010. The information panels at these places are bi-lingual in Spanish and English.
The most important viewpoints in the Maestrazgo global geopark are;
- Aliaga (viewpoints of the Aliaga Valley, the Aldehuela Strait and the geological park).
- Alcorisa (progressive angular unconformity).
- Aguaviva (fluvial dynamics of the Bergantes river).
- Berge, Bordón (Bordón anticline).
- Cañizar del Olivar (viewpoint of the Estercuel River).
- Crivillén, Cuevas de Cañart (viewpoint of the Salto de San Juan).
- Gargallo, Galve, La Cañada de Verich, La Mata de los Olmos, Mas de las Matas (Santa Flora viewpoint).
- Galve (The paleontology museum and guided tours looking for dinosaur footprints)
- Miravete de la Sierra (site with dinosaur tracks).
- Molinos (geological environment of Molinos).
Find a hotel in the area of Maestrazgo global geopark
Booking.comMuseo Paleontológico de Galve
Among the numerous paleontological finds in this area, one of the most important was the discovery of the first dinosaur fossil in Spain (Aragosaurus ischiaticus). The paleontology museum in Galve is the place to head for if you have an interest in fossils and dinosaurs (Address: Calle Mayor Baja, 10 in the town of Galve). Some of the species discovered in this area are;
In Spanish only, the university of Zaragoza has all the up to date information about dinosaur remains in the area: (Grupo de investigación de vertebrados del Mesozoico y Cuaternario de la Universidad de Zaragoza): http://www.aragosaurus.com/
- Dinosaurs – Aragosaurus ischiaticus, Galveosaurus herreroi, Delapparentia turolensis, G ideonmantellia amosanjuanae, Iguanodon galvensis and Camarillasaurus cirugedae.
- Dinosaur eggs – Guegoolithus (Macroolithus) turolensis.
- Mammals – Lavocatia alfambrensis, Eobaatar hispanicus, Parendotherium herreroi, Spalacotherium henkeli, Pocamus pepelui, Galveodon nannothus, Columbomys cuencae and Crusafontia amoae.
- Amphibians – Galveperton ibericum.
- Fish – Lonchidion microselachos.
- Invertebrates – Confussiscala mirambelensis, Olorizia olorizi and Eliptio galvensis.
- Flora – Protaxodioxylon, Protosecueoxylon turolensis.
Also the areas of Galve
Baranco Luca
The site contains more than 60 sauropod tracks that are distributed in two outcrops. Associations of pairs corresponding to the footprints and handprints of these dinosaurs are sometimes observed.
El Cantalar
In this site of the Jurassic-Cretaceous transit there are tracks which contain tridactyl ichnites attributed to a theropod dinosaur and another, with a total of eleven tracks, has been attributed to a quadruped archosaur about 12 meters long (a crocodile or a sauropod).
Las Cerradicas
Located on a sandstone layer of the Villar del Arzobispo formation (Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous transit) that presents abundant current marks formed before the footprints. More than 150 ichnites have been documented here.
Several traces include typically tridactyl footprints produced by small dinosaurs, initially identified as theropods, but later interpretations support that they must have been produced by ornithopods (oval footprints of small hands associated with tridactyl feet can be observed). Several traces attributed to small sauropods have also been found. Parallel fossilized tracks at this site seem to indicate gregarious behavior in basal ornithopods and titanosauriform sauropods.
Pelejón Corrales
There are 40 tracks at this site, 36 of them grouped into seven tracks. In general, ichnites have been assigned to small and medium-sized theropod dinosaurs. In addition, there are also phytophagous dinosaurs of the ornithopod type. This deposit has traditionally been located in the Lower Cretaceous, within the El Castellar formation, although the latest research places it in the Villar del Arzobispo formation, which is located below and is older (Jurassic – Cretaceous transit).
A visit to Dinópolis
Made up of a large central park in the town of Teruel and seven more smaller centers in the villages of Galve, Castellote, Albarracín, Riodeva, Peñarroya de Tastavins, Rubielos de Mora and Ariña. With life size models and exhibitions, Dinópolis combines science and fun so that you can experience the fascinating world of dinosaurs up close.
Visiting Teruel first and then the 7 other centres pretty much covers the main parts of the Maestrazgo global geopark. Find out more at the website of Dinopolis: https://www.dinopolis.com
Interpretation centres in the Maestrazgo global geopark
There are quite a few interpretacion centres (Centro de interpretación) in the area.
- Centro de interpretación de los castillos in Puertomingalvo (Address: Calle Mayor, 11 Puertomingalvo). Information and history of the defensive castles and fortifications in the Maestrazgo.
- Centro de interpretación medioambiental in Villarluengo (Address: Plaza del Ayuntamiento, 2 (Town hall), Villarluengo). General wildlife and geological information.
- Centro de interpretación del patrimonio arquitectónico del Maestrazgo in Miranbel (Address: Plaza de la Iglesia, 1, Mirambel). Arquitecture and buildings of the Maestrazgo)
- Centro de interpretación del fuego in Estercuel (Address: Umbría 2, Estercuel) Dedicated the the villages “fiesta of fire” held each autumn
- Centro de interpretación del patrimonio cultural de las Cuevas de Cañart (Address: Plaza del Ayuntamiento, 1, Las Cuevas de Cañar) History and culture museum with guided tours of the village.
- Centro de interpretación de los templarios in Castellote (Address: Plaza de España, Castellote) History of the knights templar in Spain
- Centro de interpretación del esparto in La Cuba (Address: Calle en medio 16, La Cuba) Museum dedicated to the art of Esparto grass weaving and its uses.
The route of El Cid also passes through the Maestrazgo global geopark
The Way of El Cid is a cultural and tourist route that crosses Spain from the northwest to the southeast, from Castilla to the Mediterranean coast. It follows the history and the story of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, El Cid Campeador, a famous medieval knight of the 11th century and, together with Don Quixote and Don Juan, one of Spain’s greatest characters. Unlike the latter two, El Cid is not only a literary character, but also a historical figure.
The main travel guide on the route is the Poem of El Cid, the great Hispanic medieval epic poem written at the end of the 12th century or beginning of the 13th. It tells of the adventures of El Cid Campeador as from his exile, fighting to survive against Moors and Christians. The places, landscapes and castles of the Song of El Cid make up the backbone of this Way. It also crosses through places that do not appear in the poem but are related to the historical figure of El Cid. The official website is here: https://en.caminodelcid.org/
official websites for the Maestrazgo global geopark
https://www.geoparquemaestrazgo.com/
http://www.maestrazgo.org/pcm.htm
https://www.turismomaestrazgo.com/
The Grazalema Guide
The best way to see all our web projects in one place is over at the Grazalema Guide.
The Grazalema Guide – Tourist Information Portal for the Sierra de Grazalema, Wildside Holidays, The town of Ronda and the Caminito del Rey.
I’ve been living in this lovely area of Western Andalucia for the last 20 years or so and dedicate most of my time to the running of English language tourist information websites for the towns of Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema, the famous or infamous Caminito del Rey, and also Wildside Holidays, which promotes sustainable and eco-friendly businesses running wildlife and walking holidays in Spain.