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<< Our Photo Pages >> El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe - Museum in Spain in Andalucía

Submitted by TimPrevett on Monday, 21 January 2013  Page Views: 4388

MuseumsSite Name: El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe Alternative Name: CIM, Gorafe Megalithic Interpretation Centre
Country: Spain Region: Andalucía Type: Museum
Nearest Town: Gorafe
Latitude: 37.479006N  Longitude: 3.044693W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
5 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
5 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
5 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
4

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El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : The centrepiece of the centre is a huge half sphere, reflected in mirrors so it appears a whole sphere, in the centre of dark room, with a spiral staircase around the room's interior. Images are projected on to this sphere. The juxtaposition of something so sci-fi looking in a small rural community is very striking! (Vote or comment on this photo)
Museum and interpretation centre in Andalucía detailing the Gorafe landscape which has 240 dolmens, as well as 'Megalithism' in a wider context.

The Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe opened in June 2011 after many years of development and building. Outside and on top of the building is a mirador, a viewing point, to take in the stunning valley around the town of Gorafe.

A hi-tech science fiction looking interior with a spherical projection screen for a film about megalithic monuments takes up most of the space.

As of January 2013, the admission was 3 Euros for adults. Gift shop at the start and finish (you exit somewhere different!) with completely different stock in each, so go careful with your cash as there might be something in the second shop you've not got money left for.

Admission times are to be seen on one of the gallery images.

The visit is structured and guided, with opening for 11am and 4pm. (Not 11 to 4!) The visit takes about an hour. A short film in a small room gives background on the Gorafe archaeology, then you enter the main focus of the building. A dark huge chamber with a spiraling sloped footway around a central sphere. Short films are projected on to it. There are also a couple side passages where other interpretive films and displays are shown. If there's demand, one is in English. The others are in Spanish but you get the general understanding of them even if your Spanish is very basic.

We received a very warm welcome from the locals who seem very proud of their heritage. A community of 550 or so, many of whom live in cave dwellings cut into the clay, one of which is also a museum. The guide for the centre took us to this cave too. She's passionate about Gorafe, and the Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe outstrips any megalithic interpretation hitherto seen anywhere else.

The village has a hotel / cafe on the right hand side as you enter the town from the valley direction. Good prices and warm welcome there; useful for refreshment after walking the valley tops looking at tombs or killing time waiting for the Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe to open!

Visit the landscape and tombs and support this attraction! The internet does not figure (yet) in their promotion but there is a video about the centre here.

Anonymous comments in October 2011, "If going to southern Spain, try and get to Gorafe. The local community in this very economically deprived rural area have put their heart and soul into looking after the archaeology: they have built a new museum, right in the middle of their (tiny) village, and have given up private ownership of all the sites in the landscape, in order to create archaeological trails and open access to all the sites for visitors and tourists. Well worth visiting - leave plenty of time to do the walks up and along the valley sides. The village has a restaurant and even a small hotel, and they will be delighted to see you. Please support their efforts - the sites are not phenomenal individually, but as an archaeological landscape it is an extraordinary place. Very well worth the visit."
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El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by Catrinm : detailed map and trails available at the visitor centre (Vote or comment on this photo)

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : The lady on the left works at the Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe. She chatted with us in the hotel's cafe / bar in Gorafe. Besides a tour of the centre, she wanted to show us one of the many cave dwellings of Gorafe which is now a museum - so she did! Very proud of her town, and rightly so, she gave a very good welcome. Muy bien! Site in Andalucía Spain (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : Opening hours of Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe as of January / Enero 2013. NOTE - it's NOT 11am to 4pm, but admissions at 11am AND 4pm, lasting about an hour. If you make that mistake, as we did, the hotel on the right as you enter the town will give a warm welcome with a cafe / bar. Site in Andalucía Spain (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : Commemorating the opening of the Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe and 'Megalithic route' - a very important regional project. (Vote or comment on this photo)

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : Features of the Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe - a very important regional project. (Vote or comment on this photo)

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : Commemorating the opening of the Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe - a very important regional project.

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : The centrepiece of the centre is a huge half sphere, reflected in mirrors so it appears a whole sphere, in the centre of dark room, with a spiral staircase around the room's interior. Images are projected on to this sphere. The juxtaposition of something so sci-fi looking in a small rural community is very striking!

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : One of the films at the Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe requires the use of 3D glasses (supplied). These ones make everything go very green - view from the entrance to the centre through the glasses.

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : Souvenirs of Gorafe - booklets, a book, entrance tickets, and a reproduction bowl made from Gorafe clay. Note there are 2 shops at Gorafe, one at the end, one at the start, different stock in each. Spend cautiously if you've not got many Euros left in your pocket!

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : Great to see such a dedicated megalithic centre for megaliths in general as well as the Gorafe archaeology.

El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe
El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe submitted by TimPrevett : This is on top of the Megalithic Interpretation Centre, a mirador with views around the valley, town and interpretive signs. Really very beautiful.

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 785m SSW 201° Dolmen Gorafe 072* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 790m SSW 201° Dolmen Gorafe 073 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 794m SW 227° Dolmen Gorafe 066* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 799m SW 226° Dolmen Gorafe 065* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 802m SSW 200° Dolmen Gorafe 074 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 807m SW 219° Dolmen Gorafe 067* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 809m SSW 198° Dolmen Gorafe 075 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 818m SSW 197° Dolmen Gorafe 076 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 826m SSW 199° Dolmen Gorafe 077* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 835m SSW 203° Dolmen Gorafe 071* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 846m S 191° Dolmen Gorafe 079 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 871m ESE 108° Dolmen Gorafe 102* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 878m SSW 199° Dolmen Gorafe 078 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 924m SSW 202° Dolmen Gorafe 069 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 929m SSW 201° Dolmen Gorafe 070 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 943m SSW 201° Dolmen Gorafe 068* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.0km SE 125° Dolmen Gorafe 103* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.2km S 190° Dolmen Gorafe 084 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.2km S 190° Dolmen Gorafe 081 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.2km SSW 194° Dolmen Gorafe 083 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.4km S 191° Dolmen Gorafe 082 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.6km S 184° Dolmen Gorafe 087 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.7km SE 134° Dolmen Gorafe 106* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.8km S 180° Dolmen Gorafe 089 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.8km S 183° Dolmen Gorafe 088 Burial Chamber or Dolmen
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"El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe" | Login/Create an Account | 4 News and Comments
  
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Re: El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe by ModernExplorers on Saturday, 13 July 2019
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We visited this site while on holiday in the South of Spain; a massive dolmen with 5 capstones, one of which is 180 tons and a curiously positioned well 19m from the entrance and 19m deep



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Gorafe Landscape in Black Mirror Season 5 by TimPrevett on Monday, 10 June 2019
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The stunning landscape of Gorafe is used in Black Mirror Season 5 in some of the episode "Smithereens", being passed off as Utah. No megaliths feature, but several shots make you say 'wow' at the amazing desert views - if you need any enticing to visit a landscape with 240 dolmens... keep an eye out for the hill in the distance as an identifying feature.
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Re: El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe by TimPrevett on Sunday, 13 January 2013
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Some text, screen shots and photos from the centre's software and hardware developers here: http://virtualwaregroup.com/en/3d-projection-at-gorafe-interpretation-center/
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Re: El Centro de Interpretación del Megalitismo de Gorafe by TimPrevett on Friday, 11 January 2013
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More information on Gorafe here: http://www.gorafe.es including the megalithic interpretation centre and routes. If you use google chrome, you have the option of having the page roughly translated into English, or whichever language best suits you.
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