Macael: Marble, History and Views

Marble has been continuously extracted and worked in Macael from at least the 9th century to the present day; marble was already being quarried here in Roman times.

Discover more places here: Llano de Los Olleres, Pulpí, Nijar, Berja, Bayárcal, El Contador, La Cañada and El Ejido.

Marble and Local History

La Cantería del mármol de Macael is listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the General Catalogue of Andalusian Heritage. The marble quarries of Macael are located very close to the town centre and have been exploited since ancient times.

Views and Landscape

The Mirador de Cosentino offers a safe view of Macael’s largest white-marble quarry and of the extraction work carried out with dump trucks and wheel loaders. From the Mirador de la Virgen del Rosario, the panoramic view extends across Macael, the quarries, the Almanzora Valley, and the Sierras de los Filabres and de las Estancia.

Historic Traces

Macael Viejo was a historic settlement that was abandoned in 1573 after the expulsion of the Moriscos. Macael Viejo preserves remains including a Roman villa, an Islamic cistern and a medieval cemetery.

The Iglesia Santa María del Rosario preserves an original Mudéjar tower from 1609, a 17th-century episcopal coat of arms classified as a BIC, and valuable furnishings from the 17th century. The Conjunto Monumental Marmoris on Plaza de Almería includes marble reproductions of Roman architectural elements and sculptures. The Fuente de los Leones on Plaza de la Constitución is a replica of the Fountain of the Lions at the Alhambra.

Marble in Public Spaces

The Mortero de Mármol is a tourist landmark listed in the Guinness World Records and a tribute to Macael’s marble craftsmen. The Bulevar-Paseo de las Esculturas is an open-air museum with an extensive collection of white marble sculptures by various artists who have taken part in Macael’s national marble sculpture awards.

Education and Craftsmanship

The Centro de Interpretación del Mármol serves as a visitor reception centre, tourist information office and interpretation centre. The Centro de Interpretación del Mármol offers marble-carving experiences and mosaic activities. The Centro de Interpretación del Mármol also offers a multisensory 4D virtual-reality experience about the marble extraction process.

A visit to the quarries of Macael introduces visitors to the Mirador de Cosentino and the modern extraction process; it also explores and provides hands-on experience of the historic communication system using “caracolas” and the traditional carving of marble known as “zoblar”.

The Sendero del Mármol includes a 450-metre section accessible to people with reduced mobility, connecting a viewpoint with the historic Cantera de los Hoyos del Tío Amador.

The historical re-enactment “Canteros y Caciques en la lucha por el mármol” takes Macael back to the period from 1919 to 1947 in May and portrays typical figures of that era in an appropriately designed setting.

Cuisine and Tradition

Macael’s traditional cuisine includes migas, wheat and pumpkin stews, as well as cod stews for Holy Week. Traditional sweet treats include roscos fritos, hornazos de San Marcos and pan de aceite.

For the higher-level travel overview: Almeria.