CUEVAS SAN MARCOS

Cuevas de San Marcos lies to the north of Antequera, bounded by the province of Córdoba and surrounded by the Camorro Mountain Range. It is located on a hill going down to the Genil Valley.
It is a small oasis surrounded by the extensive olive groves and typical of the landscape in the Antequera area. The municipal boundaries are marked by the flow of two rivers, the smallish Río de los Puercos and the Río Genil. Although the river has traditionally been the emblem of the Cuevachos, as the people of the town are called, the Iznájar Dam is certainly the most prominent landmark in the area. Most of the reservoir itself is in Cordoba territory, but the dam itself is quite close to the town of Cuevas. Many townspeople come here on weekends to swim and picnic in this beautiful freshwater landscape.

Origins
Archaeological evidence was found in the famous Belda Cave that suggests the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, also being an important location for the Romans and the Arabs. There are numerous smaller caves and natural grottos formed by the rock. The objects found by archaeologists include flint axes, spearheads, human fossils and a menhir in a place known as Las Cruces. The find creating most interest is the “ídolo oculado” - large-eyed idol. It is only seven centimetres tall and is carved from a phalange bone of an animal whose species has not been determined.

The interior of the cave is made up of stalagmites and stalactites, and three interior lakes that make access difficult. One of the biggest bat colonies in Europe inhabits this cave. There are numerous legends relating to the cave and its history. One tells of hidden treasure here, and another warns that Satan himself calls it home. On the peak of the Camorras one finds the remains of the medieval town of Belda, now an important archaeological site

Architecture
The town's most outstanding building is the San Marcos parish church, built in the 17th and renovated in the 18th century. This resulted in a harmonious union of baroque and neoclassic styles, with its monumental façade being of the latter style. Its interior is composed of three naves with barrel vaults, and the exterior is noteworthy for its three-level bell tower crowned by a very pointed roof covered with eye-catching glazed ceramic.

The chapel of the Virgin of Carmen was built in the 18th century. It has a single nave and a brick tower with a ceramic roof. The interior, the hexagonal “camarín”(niche) with lantern.

Food & Drink
Cuevas de San Marcos offers a variety of traditional dishes including 'porra' and 'salmorejo' - two similar dishes made with crushed tomatoes, garlic, peppers, breadcrumbs and other ingredients, pork products and a real speciality 'carnival stuffing', a sausage made with meat, ham, eggs, bread and parsley.