Welcome
Welcome to the Virtual Tour of the Torre Vinagre Visitor Centre, located in the heart of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas Nature Reserve in the province of Jaén. In this centre, you will be able to discover the assets of this Nature Reserve within the framework of the Network of Protected Natural Areas of Andalusia (RENPA).
The Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Nature Reserve is the most extensive protected space in Spain, and one of the largest in Europe. It boasts landscapes of extraordinary beauty with summits reaching almost 2,000 metres in height and deep forests, crossed by a rich fluvial network. It is home to a valuable endemic flora and abundant populations of hoofed animals and raptors, as well as a rich historical and cultural heritage. All of this makes it worthy of its recognition as a World Biosphere Reserve.
In this centre, the visitor can find a central space where the reception and the Natural Space shop converge, where they will be attended to and where they will have the chance to buy a product or two related to the environment, and also an area with information about the Network of Protected Natural Areas of Andalusia (RENPA). The building also has a meeting, exhibition and events room, where an audiovisual on the merits of the Natural Space is also screened. This Centre also has a restaurant where you can re-fuel.
In these links you can find more information about this Protected Natural Area with downloadable material such as the offer of trails, opening hours, how to get there, map with all the facilities for public use, etc.
Visitor Center Torre del Vinagre: lajunta.es/3p0gr
Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas Natural Park: lajunta.es/3oqg9
Complete your visit with ecotourism experiences with local companies. You can check the offer at the following link: ecoturismoandaluz.com
For activities aimed at the educational community, associations of people with functional diversity and local population, you can access through the link: reservatuvisita.ecoturismoandaluz.com
The rocky landscapes
Have these mountains always been here?
Millions of years ago, a primitive and warm sea occupied the place where today these mountain ranges are, until 50 million years ago, two of the plates that form the Earth's crust, collided and pushed up the bed of this sea, forming the present mountains, that over time, and through the action of the water, ice and wind, have been shaping their present appearance.
What has caused this?
Over time, the erosive action of the water has been sketching a vast karst landscape on the limestone of these mountains, full of forms that are easy to differentiate with the naked eye. The action even reaches those places we do not see, the depths of the rock, forming springs and underground rivers, whose waters run under the feet of these mountain ranges.
Who could live here?
The rocky environments, where there is almost no soil and apparently hardly anything grows, are nevertheless home to a rich life associated with the rock, and that are given the name of riparian vegetation. These species are very diverse, ranging from lichens that colonise the rocks, to plants capable of piercing the hard stone, without forgetting the numerous species of fauna that find refuge between the cavities and cliffs of the summits.
The landscapes of human origin
The forests of this park have been exploited by human beings since time immemorial. Wood was one of the most required resources of these mountains, so they would be repopulated to a large extent with pines for their timber interest. But in addition to wood, the mountains constituted an enormous pantry and source of natural resources for the population, from them many other natural resources were extracted that the Serranos transformed artisanally for their needs.
The natural production
The most prominent ecological cultivation of these mountains is the olive. The Sierra de Segura has been a pioneer in Andalusia in the ecological production of olive oil, as well as in the cultivation of truffles and cattle farming, especially of sheep.
The water landscapes
Why are the mountains so green?
The high levels of precipitation over these mountain ranges, especially the west facing valleys, make this Park an authentic rainy islet. Water abounds in these territories, and with it, life.
Discover the water life
A multitude of streams and waterfalls run through the foothills of these mountains, but among them two very important Iberian rivers are born: the Guadalquivir and the Segura.
Is there anyone there?
Both the watercourse itself, and the lush riverside forest flanking it, are home to a rich community of plant and animal life. Although it is sometimes difficult to see them, in this exhibition it is possible to venture inside their habitat and learn about aspects of their life and customs.
The landscapes in the area of the summits
In the summit area there are only two seasons: winter, marked by frost and icy winds and the presence of snow, and the summer, which is characterised by extreme dryness and high temperatures due to high solar irradiation.
How can anything survive on the summits?
You can find out how the plant species that live on the summits adopt different strategies to adapt to and withstand the elements.
In the solitude of the summits?
Different animals have adapted to living on the mountain summits. It is usual to catch a glimpse of large raptors gliding high above the pastures and crags in search of prey. Other animals, such as goats, or small mammals, reptiles or invertebrates have found their perfect habitat here.
The forest landscapes
Discover the interior of the forest
The scents, colours, touch and sounds of the forest arouse our curiosity. It’s a magical place where all the senses are stimulated in equal measure. In addition to the plant landscape, there are many more inhabitants in the forest, often out of our sight, like the animals that remain hidden in the vegetation or in their lairs. But here we can learn to read the signs they leave, easily detect their presence and learn more about their habits.
Is there one single forest in these mountains?
The pine forest forms the most extensive forest of this Park, but due to the great diversity of environments and to human activity over centuries, it has resulted in very different forests being found in these mountains, of which you can learn more about through this exhibition.