A Visit to the Nerja Cave

A natural cavern with an interesting history that has been left behind in the form of artwork from early inhabitants   . . . 

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I arrived at this southern Spain attraction by bus after leaving the charming town of Frigiliana. This excursion was part of a group tour I booked on Expedia that also included the town of Nerja and its famous cave. Here is what happened.

Deep Underground in Search of the Ancient Past

​We started things off with a virtual reality intro that told of the cave's formation millions of years ago. It then told of the people who once inhabited these lands, and what they would leave behind to be later discovered. Upon venturing in to the cavern entrance, each visitor was given a audio device that was capable of guiding the tour in multiple languages. 

The cave itself features an elaborate system of pathways that guide you safely along this subterranean adventure as you explore an environment filled with typical cave formations like stalactites and flowstone. These types of cave features grow slowly over time as water from the outside world deposits minerals along the interior of the cave. 

Interestingly enough, Nerja Cave boasts to be home to the largest cave column on earth. It is well over 100 ft tall and around 45 ft across. Though there are taller columns throughout the world, this is the biggest formation of its kind by total volume. A cave column forms when a stalactite above and a stalagmite below eventually meet and grow together into a single formation ... and this one is massive. ​

Largest Cave Column

The audio guide proceeded to tell the life and death story of a girl whose stone age clan lived in the area. Apparently, these early speleologists made their way deep into this realm and left behind the markings as proof of their exploration, as well as skeletal remains telling us this place was once used as a burial chamber. But these people were not the only ones using the cave, as evidence shows hyenas also dwelled in these depths during the same time period.

In the 1950s the cave was re-discovered by locals. By the 1960s archaeologists were making their way into one of the upper levels and found human remains as well as paintings that are believed to be some of the oldest known forms of human artwork. Some of these have been dated at over 40,000 years old.

Don't think you will be getting a close-up look at these ancient pictographs, the cave is dimly lit and many of the areas containing these early examples of cave art are off limits to the public. As much of a bummer as that may sound, Nerja Cave is a must see for any history enthusiast that may be passing through the region. Don't forget he nearby towns of Nerja and Frigiliana, as they are also total gems! 

In the video below you can follow along on a walking tour through the town of Nerja with a visit to this prehistoric cavern. 

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