Ports y L’alt Maestrat

A significant part of the Valencian Community’s Rock Art is concentrated to the north of Castellon, especially in the Els Ports and L’Alt Maestrat districts, where some of the most representative sites of Levantine Rock Art can be seen in Valltorta-Gasulla and Morella la Vella.

The discovery of the first shelters in the Barranc de la Valltorta took place in 1917. Their importance has led them to be recently considered a Cultural Park (districts of Tírig, Albocàsser, Les Coves de Vinromà, Vilar de Canes, Benassal, Ares del Maestrat and Morella). The Cultural Park includes 97 stations of Rock Art largely of Levantine style, although there are also some Palaeolithic engravings plus Schematic and Rock Art from various periods. The Park also offers a wide sample of Historical Heritage: rural estates, hermitages and landscape with constructions using the dry stone technique.

The Park’s Cultural Heritage is situated in enclaves of immense environmental value, including 7 micro-reserves of flora such as the Barranc dels Horts. Similarly, one can visit a rich heritage of art and monuments in the villages.

The Museu de la Valltorta (Generalitat Valenciana) is the Reception and Information Centre of the Cultural Park, providing the visitor with information on the Rock Art of the Valencian Community, and offering guided tours of some of the archaeological sites in the park. The museum organises visits to the most representative sites: Cova dels Cavalls, Coves del Civil, Cova del Más d’En Josep, Cova de la Saltadora, Abric Centelles, Cova Remígia and El Cingle. It also provides information regarding access to other places of particular interest: Morella la Vella (Galeria Alta), Morella la Vella (Cova del Roure), Abric del Castell (Vilafamés), Cova dels Rossegadors (Benifassà), Cova de la Joquera (Borriol), Cova de Sant Josep (La Vall d’Uixó), Abric del Mas de la Rambla (Portell de Morella), and Abric d’en Melià (La Serra d’en Galceran).

The set of shelters of Morella la Vella offers an equally interesting selection of Rock Art examples in Levantine and Schematic styles. These area form part of a particularly attractive traditional landscape.