Caravaca de la Cruz Today

Caravaca de la Cruz Tourist Information

Caravaca de la Cruz, in the North-west of the Region of Murcia, is one of only 5 Holy Cities in the World, a centre of Pilgrimage, along with Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liebana, home to the Cross of Caravaca, the Vera Cruz..

The status of Holy City was bestowed by Pope John Paul II in 1998, granting the City a Permanent Jubilee year every 7 years for perpetuity, the first one held in 2003, the next one in 2017.

The strategic and natural advantages of Caravaca de la Cruz have attracted the attention of settlers for more than 800,000 years, the Cueva Negra yielding remains of Homo Heidelbergensis, forbears of the Neanderthals and the municipality also houses important archaeological remains from the Argaric, Iberian and Roman cultures.

Caravaca de la Cruz As a border town caught between the Catholic forces of Castille and the last remaining Moorish stronghold in Spain, Granada, Caravaca had a turbulent Mediaeval history, but it was during this period that the legend of the Cross of Caravaca was born, bringing the religious orders which shaped the structure of Caravaca today, with it's impressive hilltop castle and eclectic collection of churches and monasteries, religious tourism today being a backbone of the town´s economy.

Caravaca de la Cruz is a municipality with important natural resources, including extensive forests, part of which have protected status due to their wealth of flora and fauna, and due to the abundant water supplies is also a major area for canned fruit production, apricots in particular, being an important crop.
Caravaca is renown for it´s important May Fiestas, held in honour of the Vera Cruz, which also incorporate the Moors and Christians celebrations and the Running of the Wine Horses. Caravaca de la Cruz

Caravaca de la Cruz is also the home of Europe´s largest collection of ethnic instruments at Barranda, the Museo de Música Étnica Barranda and is the location of the Barranda festival de Cuadrillas, which celebrates the Region's ethnic music traditions.

The municipality is home to around 26,000 inhabitants and borders with Moratalla, Cehegín, Lorca, Granada and Almería.

Where is Caravaca de la Cruz?

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Tourist Information Agenda for Caravaca Jubilee Year 2017 Monuments and Museums The Año Santo or Holy Year Whats On Caravaca de la Cruz Churches and Hours of service History of Caravaca de la Cruz Caravaca de la Cruz Local News and Community Info Parking and arriving in Caravaca Cultural and Community Venues Police, Town Hall, Useful Numbers Fiestas, Traditions, Wine Horses Property Medical Information and Doctors Where To Eat Markets and shopping

CARAVACA DE LA CRUZ

17th March Free guided tour of the historical centre of Caravaca de la Cruz Caravaca de la Cruz, guided visit of historical quarter Route date: 17th March 2019 Route name: Patrimonio Nobiliario CARAVACA DE LA CRUZ. Caravaca de la Cruz is one of only 5 Holy Cities in the world, due to the presence of part of the lignum..

24th February Canirun Caravaca de la Cruz: running race with dogs A race for those who want to run with their dogs The first ever Canirun is taking place in Caravaca de la Cruz on 24th February over a distance of 3.5km for those aged 15+, 1.2km for those aged 9-14 and 500 metres for juniors of 4-8 years of age...

2nd February to 2nd March 2019; Special set menus focusing on the truffle in north-west Murcia This is the north-west of the Murcia Region The Jornadas Gastronómicas en torno a la Trufa are being held for the second time in the north-west of the Murcia Region between the 2nd February and the 2nd March 2019. The use of the truffle is..

The Glorieta or Calle Corredera, the main tree-lined avenue in Caravaca de la Cruz The Glorieta, or Calle Corredera, runs from the Templete to the Convento del Carmen in Caravaca The Glorieta is the name commonly given to Calle Corredera, the wide tree-lined avenue which leads from the Templete to the Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz along..

Menu del Día for 12€ or 15€ at D’Gusta in the centre of Caravaca de la CruzEnjoy the very best of Caravaca just off the Plaza del Arco in the old city centre D’Gusta in the centre of Caravaca de la Cruz, just a minute’s walk from the road leading up to the castle and basilica, offers a selection of the best in local cuisine..

Recinto Ferial Caravaca de la CruzThis area is used for concerts and fiesta events The Recinto Ferial in Caravaca de la Cruz is located below the sports ground of the Colegio del Salvador and sports pavilion. It is used for larger open-air events, concerts, as the location for the fairground..

Tourist Information Office Caravaca de la Cruz Oficina de Turismo de Caravaca de la Cruz The main tourist information office in Caravaca de la Cruz is located near to the Museo de la Fiesta, although a second tourist office is open during the Holy Year, along with additional tourist information..

Hours of Mass in Caravaca de la Cruz How to find the times of religious services in the Holy City of Caravaca de la Cruz Mass times for services in the Holy City can be found using the search mechanism provided by the Cartagena Diocese. Click hours of mass Steps: Select Todas las..

The Vera Cruz, the True Cross of Caravaca de la Cruz The holy relic of Caravaca has defined the history and development of the city The Cross of Caravaca represents many things to many people, and since the Middle Ages it has come to define the nature of the city in which it appeared and is kept. For some..

The Plaza de los Caballos del Vino in Caravaca de la Cruz The wine horses of Caravaca gather here the evening before their race to the castle The Plaza de los Caballos del Vino is in the north-west of the old centre of Caravaca de la Cruz, and is dominated by a statue of one of the wine horses after which..

The Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz in Caravaca de la Cruz The square is named after the saint who founded the Convento del Carmen in Caravaca The Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz is right in the heart of the city of Caravaca, at the Eastern end of the Paseo de la Glorieta, or Calle Corredera, and is outside the..

The Palacio de la Encomienda in Caravaca de la Cruz The palace in Caravaca is also known as the Casa de la Tercia The Palacio de la Encomienda is one of the historic buildings in the centre of Caravaca de la Cruz, although nowadays it is privately owned and can only be viewed from the outside. The..

The Ermita de Santa Elena in Caravaca de la Cruz This small chapel has been used as a place of worship in Caravaca for 300 years The Ermita de Santa Elena is a small church in Caravaca de la Cruz which is entered from Calle Canalejas and backs onto Calle Santa Elena, the current structure dating from..

The convent-church of San José in Caravaca de la Cruz The convent of the Carmelites in Caravaca was founded by Santa Teresa de Avila in 1576 The baroque 16th-century convent church of San José stands on the Calle Mayor in the centre of Caravaca de la Cruz, and was founded in 1576 during the..

The church and monastery of Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Caravaca de la Cruz Iglesia del Convento de Nuestra Señora del Carmen de Caravaca de la Cruz Construction of the church was started by the Carmelite Order in 1586 This church, parts of which date back to the 16th century, has had one of the more chequered histories..

The Iglesia de la Purísima Concepción in Caravaca de la Cruz This church in Caravaca was built over a period of centuries starting in 1534 iglesia de la Purísima Concepción This church, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, stands outside the historic old centre of Caravaca de la Cruz alongside..

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