Cueva de El Pendo

Cueva El Pendo

Useful Information

Location:	Barrio del Churi, 39609 Escobedo de Camargo. N-623 exit Revilla de Camargo, towards Puente Arce, after 2 km. The last 500 m of the access road is not suitable for coaches. (43.387790, -3.913480)
Open:	MAR to 14-JUN Tue-Sat 9:30-13:30, 14:30-18:30, Sun 9:30-14:30. 15-JUN to 15-SEP Tue-Sat 10-14, 15-19, Sun 10-15. 16-SEP to 20-OCT Tue-Sat 9:30-13:30, 14:30-18:30, Sun 9:30-14:30. 21-OCT to FEB Tue-Fri, Sun 9:30-15:30, Sat 9:30-16:30. Closed 01-JAN, 06-JAN, 24-DEC, 25-DEC, 31-DEC. [2026]
Fee:	Adults EUR 15, Children (4-12) EUR 7.50, Children (0-3) free, Students EUR 7.50, Disabled EUR 7.50, Seniors EUR 7.50, Unemployed EUR 7.50. Groups (11+): Adults EUR 7.50. [2026]
Classification:	Painted Cave Karst Cave
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=45 min, Max=20, Winter Max=17.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Cueva de El Pendo, Barrio el Churi, 39609 Escobedo de Camargo, Tel: +34-942-598425. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1878	discovered by Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola.
13-AUG-2008	inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
1997	discovery of an important panel of red paintings.

Description

Cueva de El Pendo (Cave of El Pendo) is one of the most important Palaeolithic sites in northern Spain. Only 150 visitors are allowed per day, so pre-booking is strongly recommended. As a result the number of visitors per group is restricted to 17 during winter and 20 the rest of year. At least the cave is accessible, many important sites are completely closed to the public for protection. It’s probably a good idea to visit outside the main season. If you are on site without tickets you may be lucky if there is a no show. For groups of students they offer four different workshops at the cave, which also require reservation. There is also a high quality virtual tour on the website which is worth a visit.

The archaeological layers in this cave were excavated in various excavations over decades. They provided findings beginning around 82,000 BC and reaching up to 1,500 BC. This includes the time Homo neanderthalensis as well as Homo sapiens. But the cave was not a painted cave, only two engraved figures were known in the deepest part of the cave. In 1997 when the Painting Frieze or Frieze of Paintings, a 25 m long panel visible from all over the main vestibule, was finally discovered. About 20 figures painted red show 12 hind, a goat, a horse, 2 zoomorphs, and numerous symbols. It was not possible to date them, but the age is estimated to be 20,000 BC. The motives, techniques and style of the paintings are similar to those in othe nearby caves.

The cave has a single huge chamber. It is entered through an opening in the ceiling on a steel staircase leading down the pile of debris. It seems this is a collapse doline.