|
Friday, 10 September 2010
Weather Today Articles
Almunecar Life
Welcome to Almuñécar and to the Almunecar Life Network!
We hope to be your favourite place to go when in search for ANYTHING regarding Almunecar! This is an interactive web site and we want YOU to participate! Rate your favourite restaurant, shop or bar, hotel or any business in Almuñecar with our simple star ratings! Share your experiences and give personal opinions and advice on anything in Almuñecar. We'll let others know, good or bad! Be involved in creating a site with the information you WANT and get access to everything available in this wonderful town on the Costa Tropical! |
Altamira Caves to reopen! Spanish authorities have decided to reopen the Altamira Caves to the public next year, despite the risk of destroying some of the world's best prehistoric paintings. The Caves of Altamira are known as the Sistine Chapel of Paleolithic Art.Located near the village of Antillana del Mar, about 30 km to the east of the city of Santander, in Cantabria in northern Spain, Altamira was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1985. Discovered in 1879, the vast caves contain some of the best examples of Stone Age art with paintings of herds of wild animals, such as bison, bulls, horses, deer and wild boar, all in vivid colours of red, ochre and black. The main chamber features 21 remarkable bison painted in red and black, which appear to be charging against a low, limestone ceiling. The works are estimated to be between 14,000 and 20,000 years old, although some could even go back as far as 30,000 years. However, the paintings began to suffer damage as the numbers of visitors rose and scientists discovered that body heat, human breath, and carbon dioxide and moisture levels were causing a gradual deterioration of the images. This led to the cave being closed in 1977. It reopened from 1982 – 2002 but the number of visitors allowed to visit the site was severely restricted, with bookings being taken three years in advance. When scientists detected green mould stains on the paintings, a replica of the caves was built in a museum in 2001, and Altamira was finally closed in September 2002. Now, the Spanish Ministry of Culture and the site's board of directors have announced that Altamira is to be reopened next year. The announcement was made by Spanish Minister of Culture Angeles Gonzalez Sinde, who promised that everything would be done to "protect and conserve the cave and its contents". Scientific investigators have been commissioned to assess exactly how many visitors could be allowed in without further damage to the paintings and a committee will be set up to determine new rules and decide on the number of people allowed to visit the caves each day. However, in making this decision, the Culture Ministry will be acting directly against the advice of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), which has spent years examining and analysing the state of the caves and the paintings. "We have made it very clear that it should not be reopened at this time," said Sergio Sanchez Moral, director of the team that spent the last two years analysing the caves and treating the problem mould. "The caves have recovered from the damage, but to open them again is not a good idea. The risks are immeasurable." But the opening has been welcomed by the President of the Cantabrian region of Northern Spain, Miguel Angel Revilla who said: "Altamira is an asset we cannot be without”. He plans to invite US President Barack Obama to be the first person to view the caves when they reopen. By Tressa Davey Jun 14, 2010
|
Custom Search
Recommended
Featured
Resources
|
... the pearl of the Costa Tropical
