Montecorto: Nature Park, Dolmen and Cultural Monuments

Landscape and Protected Area

Montecorto lies at the foot of the Sierra de Grazalema Nature Park and falls within the geographical scope of the plan for the sustainable development of the nature park and its socioeconomic area of influence. This means that for Montecorto, not only its location by the nature park is established, but also its belonging to its geographical area of influence. The geographical scope includes both the Sierra de Grazalema Nature Park and its socioeconomic area of influence.

Culture and Townscape

When turning to Montecorto's main tourist attractions, the Nuestra Señora del Carmen temple is one of the town's particularly prominent destinations. The Nuestra Señora del Carmen church was last renovated in 2002. The Paseo de la Acequia de Benito is another attraction in Montecorto and is of particular ethnological interest. Its connection with the local water supply system is made concrete by the Acequia de Benito: it is a stone channel that supplies water to the agricultural land. This channel ends at an old water mill. The church and the temple share the same name, while the Paseo de la Acequia de Benito is associated with the stone water channel and its function in agriculture.

The ruins of Castillo del Moral lie on the slope of Cerro Malaver. The ruins can be seen from a viewpoint on the Ruta Senderista El Pinar circular hiking trail. The route is explicitly described as a circular hiking trail, while the viewpoint offers a view of the ruins of Castillo del Moral.

Archaeological Traces

Among Montecorto's prominent archaeological remains is the Torre de Audita. The prehistoric El Gigante dolmen is also among these archaeological remains. There are numerous dolmens in the Montecorto area, bearing witness to the town's early settlement. The archaeological traces range from the prehistoric dolmens to the ruins of Castillo del Moral and the Torre de Audita. The El Gigante dolmen represents the prehistoric era, while Torre de Audita and Castillo del Moral are further archaeological testimonies of the town.

The ruins of Acinipo lie approximately 15 kilometres from the centre of Montecorto. Today, only part of the amphitheatre carved into the rock remains at the Acinipo archaeological site. At its height, the city included temples, baths, forums and public buildings. The surviving amphitheatre therefore stands in contrast to a city history that included several different types of structures: temples and baths as well as forums and public buildings. Today, only part of the formerly more extensive urban complex is visible, while the amphitheatre has survived as a structure carved into the rock.

Festivals and Further Town Details

The Fuente del Dolmen is located at Plaza Pablo Ruiz Picasso and was built in 2006. As for the timing of the local festivals, the Feria del Carmen takes place in mid-July. The Romería de la Inmaculada is scheduled for early May. The two festivals mentioned therefore take place at different times of the year: the Romería is celebrated in early May, and the Feria del Carmen in mid-July. If you are looking for the tourist information office in Montecorto, it is located in the town hall.

To the main travel overview: Ronda.