The Marble of Macael
Macael is a synonymous with white marble. As are Fines, Olula and other municipalities within the region, which make use of the largest vein of ornamental rock in Spain. The stonemasons, and then the artisans, manufacture everything from flooring to art. You can visit both the workshops and the quarries, spectacular areas with deposits of this "white gold". At the Visitor Centre located in Macael visitors are even allowed to make pieces.
On the northern slopes of the Sierra de los Filabres there is a deposit of white marble that has made history. The Roman Empire was undoubtedly one of the great consumers of this stone; and the Alhambra itself is full of exhibits, as is the Roman Theatre in Mérida, the Mosque in Córdoba, the Madinat al-Zahra Palace, the El Escorial Monastery, the Royal Palace and countless other monuments. Amazing.
In the area there are other municipal districts that have quarries of this valuable stone: Albanchez, Líjar, Cóbdar, Olula and Fines. Here you can see the marble artisans at work in their workshops. To complete the list, there is Cantoria, at the entrance to the marble region.
But the true capital of this international industry is Macael. It is also the location for the Foundation of the Andalusian Technological Centre for Natural Stone (CTAP in Spanish). Since 2002, and with the support of companies in the sector and the Andalusian Administration, it has been working on innovation and technology applied to natural stone.
In the Marble Visitor Centre you will find information to help you to learn about the historical development of Macael marble. The exhibition features pieces from the permanent collection and an extensive display of photographs, as well as a multisensory experience consisting of an area where virtual reality transfers the movement, heat, humidity, air and smells of the process: blasting, large machinery, cutting, carving, etc.
And undoubtedly an extraordinary essential, but not at all virtual, experience is when you walk through towns with marble pavements and delightful streets, with mountains looming over the rooftops on the horizon. A series of sensations that will leave you stunned but not like stone.
