Museo de la Valltorta

Useful Information

Location:	1.5 km south of Tírig. A7 to Cabanes, CV-10 towards Sant Mateu, CV-131 towards Tírig. AP7 Vinaròs exit, N-238 to Vinaròs, N-232 towards Morella, at Xert CV-132 to Sant Mateu, CV-130 to Tírig. From Tírig CV-131 south 1.6 km, turn right 300 m. (40.406116, 0.069788)
Open:	Museum: OCT to APR Tue-Sun 10-14, 16-18. MAY to SEP Tue-Sun 10-14, 17-20. Cova del Mas d'en Josep : All year Tue-Sun 10. Cova dels Cavalls: All year Tue-Sun 11, 12. Cova dels Ribassals or Civil: OCT to APR Tue-Sun 16:30. MAY Tue-Sun 17. JUN to SEP Tue-Sun 18. Cova de la Saltadora: 2nd Sat 10, starts at Plaza de Ayuntamiento of Les Coves de Vinromà. Abric Centelles: 2nd Sat 16:30, starts at Plaza de Ayuntamiento of Albocàsser. Cova Remígia: Sat, Sun 11, 15:30. Cingle de la Mola Remígia: Sat 15:30. [2022]
Fee:	free. [2022]
Classification:	Museums Painted Cave Painted Cave Replica
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	Museum: self guided. Cova del Mas d'en Josep: D=1 h, L=1,400 m, VR=70 m, A=405 m asl., (40.390367226733176, 0.08133489358370329). Cova dels Cavalls: D=1 h, L=1,200 m, VR=45 m, A=420 m asl., (40.3971959, 0.0673107). Cova dels Ribassals: D=1 h, L=400 m, VR=57 m, A=419 m asl., (40.40064296453786, 0.05152779798890989). Cova dels Civil: D=1 h, L=400 m, VR=57 m, A=419 m asl., (40.40064296453786, 0.05152779798890989). Cova de la Saltadora: D=3 h, L=1,400 m, VR=50 m, A=400 m asl., (40.38628016948355, 0.08864414031832014). Abric Centelles: D=3 h, L=920 m, VR=130 m, A=750 m asl., (40.41844031394921, 0.007595340956208021). Cova Remígia: D=3 h, L=1,800 m, VR=190 m, A=970 m asl., (40.41870256618941, -0.12306501922080135).
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	Museum: yes. Caves: no
Bibliography:
Address:	Museo de la Valltorta, Pla de l'Om, s/n, 12179 Tírig, Tel: +34-964-336-010. 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

1917	first painted caves discovered in Valltorta by Albert Rueda: Cova dels Cavalls, Coves del Civil, mas d'en Josep and La Saltadora.
1934	Cova Remigia and El Cingle discovered in La Gassulla.
1980	discovery of the Abric Centelles.
1998	inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
11-NOV-2016	Generalitat Valenciana declared the Valltorta-Gassulla Cultural Park of Cultural Interest.

Description

The Barranc de la Valltorta is a limestone gorge with steep cliffs and numerous caves and shelters, located 3 km south of the small village Tírig. This place was a good location for prehistoric hunters, and so they stayed here now and then. They used the caves as shelters and even left some cave paintings. Today the site is one of the hotspots of cave paintings in Spain. Not spectacular in the way Altamira is spectacular, but fascinating. There are numerous caves with different kinds of paintings. And it is possible to visit some of them on guided tours.

The center of the site is the Museo de la Valltorta, which is located halfway between the village and the gorge. Here you can park your car, get your tickets, and spend some time in the fantastic museum until the tour begins. From the museum it's a 1 km walk to the caves, and in the Spanish climate we strongly recommend sun protection and a bottle of water. There are bridges and elevated trail built into the cave entrances and along the cliff face which allow safe access to the paintings without damaging the caves or the environment. The main cave is the Cova dels Cavalls, named after the paintings of horses.

The museum contains exhibitions on Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic cave paintings, Copper and Bronze ages, the Unesco listing of the Levantine art, and the reasearch since 1917. There is also a replica of the most spectacular wall of the Cova dels Cavalls, in a "optimal" state. In other words the paintings are reconstructed and much easier to see than in the original, where they were damaged by weathering.

The whole area of the gorge and caves was declared a park named Parque Cultural de la Valltorta-Gasulla (Valltorta-Gasulla Cultural Park) in 2016. The park covers an area of about 82 km² spread over the municipalities of Albocàsser, Ares del Maestrat, Benassal, Catí, Les Coves de Vinromà, Morella, Tírig and Vilar de Canes. It includes 92 rock art stations which are part of the UNESCO World Heritage List entry for Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula.