Las Cavenes

This is the oldest gold mine dating back to the 1st and 2nd centuries a.d. It is located near the village of El Cabaco, at the bottom of the Sierra de Francia, in the protected natural site of Las Batuecas-Sierra de Francia.

The Romans discovered the existence of this precious metal in this area. Very soon they designed an interesting extraction method: some rafts on the highest areas of the slopes collect the water which comes from the summits of the mountain. They used to leave the water drop vigorously through the cavenes (channels) pulling out the material which was later on washed and examine closely, until they got the valuable metal.

The beautiful landscape and the thick oak grove seem to be fossilized, as if the exploitation had been stopped only a few years ago. There are remains of the works of these old miners, waste rock gatherings, washing areas, extraction areas…

Las Cavenes were declared of Cultural Interest by the Junta of Castile and Leon in 2002.

The visitors will spend an unforgettable day in contact with History and Nature walking through the mine site and visiting the Interpretation Centre of the Roman Gold Mining Industry.