The Archaeological Site of Atapuerca – getting to know our earliest European ancestors

The Archaeological Site of Atapuerca – getting to know our earliest European ancestors

What is there to see around the Archaeological Site of Atapuerca?

Put frankly, there is quite a lot to observe throughout the area – the natural settings, different human-made galleries, and further adjustments can take you hours to explore in detail, if not days. They can be divided as follows:

• CAYAC, or the Site Access Centre, is the place where visitors meet and enter the shuttle buses to the site. It offers a fundamental introduction to the area by employing a permanent exhibition called “Sierra de Atapuerca – natural and cultural heritage.”
  
  
• Atapuerca has thee main natural settings available for guided visits – la Sima del Elefante (The Elephant Pit), Galería (The Gallery), and la Gran Dolina – which are the actual treasury of the site. They will reveal the essentials you came here to observe – million-year-old tools, ceramic objects, human and animal skeletal remains, bone fragments, rock paintings, floral, and faunal fossils.
• CAREX, or the Experimental Archaeology Centre, is also located in Atapuerca. It contributes with further knowledge on both the archaeology techniques used on-site, and detail about the objects and materials found around.
  
  

As you may suggest, it is strongly advisable to join a guided tour around the Archaeological Site of Atapuerca, instead of trying to cope with it on your own. Professional guides will provide a fuller comprehension of the area, along with tons of additional information for the unprepared audience.

If you are intrigued enough after the visit, you can complement your journey by visiting the Museum of Human Evolution that is located in the city center of Burgos. The rest of the city is also tourist-friendly – Burgos is a Camino de Santiago stop, popular for its spectacular medieval architecture, including the famous French Gothic Cathedral of St. Mary.