The History of Extremadura
and where to see it
After seven years of walking, thinking, making plans, reading, studying, taking to experts, exploring on foot, getting lost in a very productive way, visiting locations, taking photographs, writing and rewriting, I finally sent my third book off to print. The book was called 'The History of Extremadura: and where to find it' and, as the title suggests, it was first and foremost a history book. However, unlike most of that genre, this book had a section after each chapter that pinpointed where to see the history related in the previous chapter. There were GPS points but there were also directions. Many things to see can be accessed by vehicle but many more need some walking to get there, which, after all, is what we all love to do: walk.
However, due to technical problems, I unpublished that book after just two weeks and republished it under a slightly different name 'The History of Extremadura and where to see it'. The text is the same (with eliminated pagination typo errors) but the book now has a much better organisation inside and 405 pages, 66 black and white photographs with captions and three maps.
The book description:
Over the many thousands of kilometres I have walked throughout Extremadura during the past 18 years, I have enjoyed the scenery; the mountain ranges, the river valleys, the trees and vegetation and the amazing carpets of wild flowers every Spring. I have loved the butterflies and birds and the shy mammals as they crossed my path. However, there was one thing that kept recurring and that was the remains of groups of peoples who had lived here millennia ago and had disappeared — but not their works; their cave paintings, burial mounds, dwellings, villages, sanctuaries, sculptures, tracks and all manner of evidence of their past existence. I do not just mean artefacts in museums but real evidence, free for everyone to discover in the wide, open countryside and in the good, fresh air.
The book uncovers little known facts about Extremadura. It has rocks that were formed before any others in Europe and has some of the most ancient cave paintings dating back to over 64,000 years. It is home to the largest concentration of dolmens in any comparable European area and includes the earliest dolmen. The Tartessians were the peninsula’s first real civilisation and Extremadura currently has three — and counting —archaeological sites testifying to their importance. There are sites with exceptional ruins of Celtiberian settlements, some less-well preserved sites and more are being discovered. It is said that Extremadura has more Roman ruins than anywhere outside Rome. There is a splendid Roman theatre where ancient Greek and Latin plays are preformed every summer. There is also the longest surviving arched bridge built in Roman times and the world’s oldest Roman dam still in use today. Extremadura has one, of only two, Visigoth Churches in Spain. The second largest Moorish cistern on the Iberian peninsula is in Extremadura and others are sited within castles and fortresses of importance. The Reconquest saw the construction of innumerable religious buildings some with stunning Mudéjar architectural features — a mixture of Christian and Moorish design. Wars delayed progress but they did not damage the historic cities that were awarded World Heritage status at the end of the last century. Finally, history comes up-to-date with the future of the region looking positive and bright.
There are 12 chapters and after each one there is a list of where to go and what to see to make the history come alive. Each listing (there are over 280) has an address, directions to get there and a GPS point to pin down the exact location. For example, chapter one deals with the earliest times and so the list includes the provincial museums, Los Barruecas Natural Park, caves and cave paintings, dolmens, menhirs, archaeological sites and interpretation centres.
The History of Extremadura and where to see it
ISBN: 979-83111816663
English language
404 pages
66 black and white photographs
3 maps
Published 2025 on Amazon
and where to see it
After seven years of walking, thinking, making plans, reading, studying, taking to experts, exploring on foot, getting lost in a very productive way, visiting locations, taking photographs, writing and rewriting, I finally sent my third book off to print. The book was called 'The History of Extremadura: and where to find it' and, as the title suggests, it was first and foremost a history book. However, unlike most of that genre, this book had a section after each chapter that pinpointed where to see the history related in the previous chapter. There were GPS points but there were also directions. Many things to see can be accessed by vehicle but many more need some walking to get there, which, after all, is what we all love to do: walk.
However, due to technical problems, I unpublished that book after just two weeks and republished it under a slightly different name 'The History of Extremadura and where to see it'. The text is the same (with eliminated pagination typo errors) but the book now has a much better organisation inside and 405 pages, 66 black and white photographs with captions and three maps.
The book description:
Over the many thousands of kilometres I have walked throughout Extremadura during the past 18 years, I have enjoyed the scenery; the mountain ranges, the river valleys, the trees and vegetation and the amazing carpets of wild flowers every Spring. I have loved the butterflies and birds and the shy mammals as they crossed my path. However, there was one thing that kept recurring and that was the remains of groups of peoples who had lived here millennia ago and had disappeared — but not their works; their cave paintings, burial mounds, dwellings, villages, sanctuaries, sculptures, tracks and all manner of evidence of their past existence. I do not just mean artefacts in museums but real evidence, free for everyone to discover in the wide, open countryside and in the good, fresh air.
The book uncovers little known facts about Extremadura. It has rocks that were formed before any others in Europe and has some of the most ancient cave paintings dating back to over 64,000 years. It is home to the largest concentration of dolmens in any comparable European area and includes the earliest dolmen. The Tartessians were the peninsula’s first real civilisation and Extremadura currently has three — and counting —archaeological sites testifying to their importance. There are sites with exceptional ruins of Celtiberian settlements, some less-well preserved sites and more are being discovered. It is said that Extremadura has more Roman ruins than anywhere outside Rome. There is a splendid Roman theatre where ancient Greek and Latin plays are preformed every summer. There is also the longest surviving arched bridge built in Roman times and the world’s oldest Roman dam still in use today. Extremadura has one, of only two, Visigoth Churches in Spain. The second largest Moorish cistern on the Iberian peninsula is in Extremadura and others are sited within castles and fortresses of importance. The Reconquest saw the construction of innumerable religious buildings some with stunning Mudéjar architectural features — a mixture of Christian and Moorish design. Wars delayed progress but they did not damage the historic cities that were awarded World Heritage status at the end of the last century. Finally, history comes up-to-date with the future of the region looking positive and bright.
There are 12 chapters and after each one there is a list of where to go and what to see to make the history come alive. Each listing (there are over 280) has an address, directions to get there and a GPS point to pin down the exact location. For example, chapter one deals with the earliest times and so the list includes the provincial museums, Los Barruecas Natural Park, caves and cave paintings, dolmens, menhirs, archaeological sites and interpretation centres.
The History of Extremadura and where to see it
ISBN: 979-83111816663
English language
404 pages
66 black and white photographs
3 maps
Published 2025 on Amazon