One of the historical treasures of the Marina Alta is located in Gata de Gorgos: Les Coves Roges. It is a set of prehistoric caves with rock art that owes its color, red, to the oxidation and disintegration of the calcareous rock.
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What are they
Les Coves Roges de Gata de Gorgos are a group of walls and caves with a reddish hue due to the calcareous rock, which makes them stand out among others. Its size is between ten and twenty meters high.
The three cave shelters have more than 34 groups of paintings. Among them, Abrigo I of Les Coves Roges shows four groups of engravings from different periods, while in Abrigo II two panels are observed, with six and five figures respectively.
Location
Les Coves Roges are located on the walls that frame the Gorgos River at the confluence between the Canela ravine and the Barranquet de les Boleries. You just have to follow the sign that indicates "Passeig de les Coves Roges" and in less than a kilometer you can reach your destination.
History
The prehistoric paintings of the Coves Roges represent one of the first evidence of human presence in Gata de Gorgos. They were found in 1987 by chance.
The value of the caves has been officially recognized, since they have been included since 1997 within the group of Rock Art of the Mediterranean Arc declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Furthermore, in 2010 they were declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.
