Bocayrent – Cave of the Moors
"How do you even fit in there, it's so tight?" - Erica asked, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and concern, as she became the first to bravely ascend into the narrow hole in the cave's ceiling via the ladder. One of the tourists, with a grin on his face, said to her.
"You're really small and thin, so I'm sure you'll be fine, but as for me, well, I'm not so sure - I've got a bit of a beer belly going on, and that might just cause some problems. - said to her one of the tourists, with a grin on his face.
We've visited caves before, but nothing could have prepared us for the uniqueness of the "Cave of the Moors". As we approached it, the exterior resembled a honeycomb, with numerous holes punctuating the rock face, leaving us curious about what secrets it held within. The sheer number of openings in the rock was quite striking, and we couldn't help but wonder what lay behind each one.
In the past, visitors had to use rope ladders to climb up and get inside, but they would take these ladders with them when they left. Now, to make it easier for tourists, metal stairs have been put in, which lead up to the first window. But even with this change, everything inside the place has stayed true to its original form. You can only move around the cave on all fours or bending in half. You climb up the mountain, then to the side, then to the bottom, and in each room there is a window from which you can see the city.
"Mom, look, the window opens up an incredible view of the valley and the old town of Bocayrent", - said Arian.
I stood there, catching my breath, as the stunning views took it away, and the steep drop made my heart skip a beat.
"Come away from the window, son," I told him, "it's lovely, but let's take a step back."
At first, we thought the structures in front of us were some sort of ancient dwellings, carved out of the soft limestone. But as we took a closer look, we noticed that what appeared to be beds were actually granaries. It turned out that during the Almohads' time, which was from the 10th to the 11th centuries, grain was a highly valuable commodity - even more so than gold.
And these hard-to-reach granaries, situated high up on a cliff, were the best way to safeguard supplies from thieves or enemy soldiers. The location was strategic, making it difficult for anyone to access the grain without being detected. The guide told us that grain could be kept in these caves for an incredible 200 years, which is just amazing. This really shows how clever the Berber tribes were when they built these caves. They clearly knew a lot about physics and architecture. The way they designed the ventilation system, with lots of windows and connections between the rooms, was very smart.
Because the caves are made of limestone and the air is always moving, the temperature and humidity inside stay stable. This meant that the grain and other food could be stored for a long time without getting damp or growing mold, which was really important. The people who built these caves were very skilled and must have thought carefully about how to make them work so well. It's impressive to think about how they were able to create such a good storage system using only natural materials and their own knowledge of the environment. It turns out that similar caves are still used for their intended purpose in North Africa.
Near the cave, you'll find another fascinating spot - a one-of-a-kind bullfighting arena, carved right into the rock face. It's amazing to think that local people, armed with just picks and crowbars, managed to carve out not only the arena itself, but also the spectator stands, animal pens, and even the boxes. The rocky terrain gave the arena its unique, uneven tiers, making it look like a natural part of the mountain. This is a real testament to the ingenuity of folk architecture, considering how tough the work must have been. But the end result was well worth it, giving the city its own cultural stage, right in the heart of the rock. Even today, the arena can hold around 4,000 spectators and is still used for special events and festivals. The fact that it's still in use is a tribute to the skill and determination of the people who built it, all those years ago.
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