Spanish monuments reappearing with the drought attract tourists
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The Church of Sant Roma de Sau in Catalonia and the megalithic complex of Guadalpera in Extremadura have resurfaced after water reservoirs dropped significantly this summer.
An 11th century church, a megalithic complex: the significant drop in the level of water reservoirs in Spain has caused the reappearance monuments usually covered by waterattracting tourists wanting to enjoy aunique opportunity“.
Due to a lack of rainfall, the water reservoirs, built to secure the supply of cities and agricultural plots in a very dry country, were at around 36% of their capacity at the end of August, according to official data. A level so low that the church of Sant Roma de Sau in Catalonia, a village engulfed by the construction of a reservoir in the 1960s, has risen almost entirely when we usually only see the end of its steeple out of the water.
Read alsoCorpses, Nazi ships and “hunger stones”: these buried remains that have resurfaced with the drought
“Drought” tourism
Attracted by the publication of photos on social networks, curious people have been coming for days to practice the “drought tourismand get a close look at this 11th century church, normally invisible. “We said to ourselves: “let’s take a closer look at this”” because “it’s been a long time since the reservoir has been this low“says Nuria Ferrerons, 45, who was influenced by photos seen”recently on social media“. Oars in hand, two tourists pass quietly in a canoe under an arch of the church. Around the walls, fences have been erected to prevent the curious from getting too close, as these ruins can represent a danger.
“Usually, we only see the steeple“Enthuses Sergi Riera, who also came to see with his own eyes”something that hadn’t happened in years“.
In the Valdecanas reservoir in Extremadura, western Spain, is the megalithic complex Guadalpera, also called the “spanish stonehenge“, in reference to the English prehistoric site, which resurfaced on an islet. The standing menhirs also attract tourists there, some wishing to meditate there, transported by boat by several private companies.
“People leave enchanted” After the “guided tourof the megalithic complex, explains Ruben Argenta, owner of a leisure company based in the reservoir. Manuel Mantilla is one of them. This sexagenarian, who came especially with his wife from Cordoba, in the south of Spain, explains that he learned “by the press“than the complex”was exposed due to drought“. “We saw this as a unique opportunity“, he concluded with a touch of optimism and philosophy.
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