Cenes de la Vega: Gold History, Trails and Cultural Heritage

Cenes de la Vega is part of the Ruta de Münzer, also known as the Camino Real, which connected Almería with Granada via the inland route. This historical route connection is therefore part of the local heritage and marks the beginning of the link between cultural heritage, gold-mining history and the landscape.

Culture

The Iglesia de la Virgen del Rosario is a 16th-century church. Its roof structure is classified as Mudéjar, while the tower has a three-part design. The church was built over an older hermitage dedicated to San Bartolomé. Inside is a carved figure of the saint. The church therefore preserves both the memory of the older hermitage and the later architectural features of the roof and tower.

Hoyo de la Campana contains the largest and most clearly discernible remains of intensive Roman gold mining in the Río Genil valley. The Canal de los Franceses is also connected with gold mining: it was built at the end of the 19th century by a French company to wash gold-bearing sands from Cerro del Oro. The site and the canal thus point to two distinct periods of gold mining: the Roman remains and a hydraulic structure from the late 19th century.

Nature

Fuente de la Pita is located on an island in the riverbed of the Río Genil. It is bounded by the Sendero Granada-Cenes-Pinos Genil. The site is a restored hydraulic structure that invites visitors to hike and relax. Its location in the riverbed and its boundaries defined by the aforementioned trail determine the precise classification of the site within the river area.

Fuente de la Pita is situated in peaceful surroundings with forests of pine, chestnut, walnut and fruit trees. These surroundings offer views of the Sierra Nevada. Thus, in addition to conifers, chestnut, walnut and fruit trees are also part of the vegetation described around the restored site.

The Canal de los Franceses is approximately 16 kilometres long and runs through the Río Aguas Blancas valley. Its route includes tunnel, siphon and open sections. The approximate length and the three different types of sections shape the described course of the historic canal. Along the bank of the Río Genil in Cenes de la Vega, there is also a path used daily by walkers and cyclists.

Hiking

In Cenes de la Vega, four hiking trails lead through the history of gold mining along the Río Genil and combine hiking with the experience of nature. The four circular routes of Los Caminos del Oro begin at the former Apeadero del Tranvía de la Sierra. Their shared design as circular routes distinguishes them from a single linear trail; the former Apeadero del Tranvía de la Sierra is expressly recorded as their starting point.

At present, the trails of Los Caminos del Oro are not physically signposted. The routes are available via Google My Maps and Wikiloc. Aquaola Parque Acuático was permanently closed in 2022. Thus, the four trails, their former starting point, the digital presentation of their routes and the current status of the water park are among the locally distinct pieces of information relating to movement and stays in the area.

Other directly linked places: Fonelas, Monachil, Ferreira, Cáñar, Salar, Benalúa De Las Villas, Salobreña, Pulianas

For the broader travel overview: Granada.