Antequera Dolmens Site

Dolmen of Menga (Pedro J Pacheco/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Country (Nearest Cities):

Location: N37 1 30 W4 32 40

Date of Inscription: 2016

Criteria:

i. to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;

iii. to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;

iv. to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;

Ref: 1501

Dolmen of Viera (Pedro J Pacheco/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Located at the heart of Andalusia in southern tip of Spain, the site comprises three 5000 year old giant burial chambers known as a tumulus, representing the largest and most complete megalithic structures in Europe:

Menga dolmens
Viera dolmens and
Tholos of El Romeral,

and two natural monuments:

Peña de los Enamorados, or the “Lover’s Rock”, which appears like a sleeping giant on the horizon, and
El Torcal mountainous formations, which are landmarks within the property.

Built during the Neolithic and Bronze Age (around 2000 BC) out of large stone blocks, these monuments form chambers with lintelled roofs or false cupolas. A number of chambers were created by placing a large number of extremely heavy stones next to each other. The walls, the roof (which is made up of four individual pieces), and the pillars are made of the same rocks. These three tombs, buried beneath their original earth tumuli, are one of the most remarkable architectural works of European prehistory and one of the most important examples of European Megalithism.

Set along two mountains, the prehistoric dolmens’ exact positioning had mystical importance for the tribes who built them. On the summer solstice on 21st June, the morning sun shines directly over the peaks of the mountains into the main entrance and cleverly straight along the dolmen’s entrance corridor.

The giant, stacked structures and the surrounding archaeological ruins is some of the most remarkable architectural works of European prehistory. It doesn’t hurt that they’re set against a stunning, smoky, mountain backdrop.

Archaeologists have found several hundred distinct skeletons inside it, possibly all belonging to the ruling groups of the culture. However, the identity of the builders remains a mystery to this day.

As far as the name is concerned, legend says that a leper named Menga took refuge inside the dolmen after her husband died.