Santuario de la Cueva Santa, Sacred grotto in Altura, Spain
Santuario de la Cueva Santa is a natural sanctuary located within a cave in the Sierra Calderona mountain range. The grotto extends approximately 20 meters deep with a spacious main chamber, forming a sheltered religious space within the mountainside.
The cave appears in pastoral records from the 16th century as a shelter used by shepherds in the area. Following accounts of Marian apparitions, it gradually became a religious sanctuary that drew visitors seeking spiritual experiences.
The shrine contains a marble altar adorned with sculptures of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, reflecting the religious devotion attached to this place. These carved religious figures show how believers have expressed their faith within the cave's natural setting.
The sanctuary lies about 12 kilometers from Altura town center and can be reached via the CV-245 road connecting Altura with Alcublas. Plan for a scenic mountain drive through the Sierra Calderona, and wear appropriate footwear for the approach to the cave entrance.
Archaeological studies since the 1950s have uncovered prehistoric rock paintings and engravings hidden in the deeper sections of the cave. These discoveries suggest that humans inhabited this natural formation thousands of years before it became a religious site.
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