Karst Cathedral

 An image showcasing the geological diversity of the Cueva del Puerto, from slender stalactites hanging from the ceiling and columns in the process of formation, to imposing, coral-like stalagmites rising from the floor with complex, rugged textures.

The history of the Cueva del Puerto dates back some 15 million years, to the Cenozoic Era. Its formation began following the Alpine orogeny, the tectonic folding that uplifted the Betic Mountain Range and shaped what is now the Sierra del Puerto.

Unlike many other karst systems, this cave has a hypogenic and hydrothermal origin: deep, warm groundwater rose through fractures and faults in the limestone, dissolving calcium carbonate from within and carving out an immense network of galleries.

Later, the slow infiltration of rainwater (carrying dissolved minerals) completed this geological miracle, giving rise to the dazzling universe of speleothems that we can behold today in Calasparra.