Link to,es Web Oficial del Tolmo de Minateda (Hellin)
The Tolman Minateda, the three thousand year old city, is the most important archaeological site in the province of Albacete, being one of five archaeological parks of Castilla-La Mancha. It is a amesetado hill overlooking the crossroads between Murcia, Albacete and Alicante, event giving rise to a place inhabited by different cultures from the Bronze Age to the tenth century AD.
To get from Murcia, we must abandon the A-30 at exit 322 (“I Jumilla-In”), and we then incorporate into the national road N-301 towards Hellin. After about 2 km, see the hill to our left the Tolmo.
From Albacete, will leave the A-30 at exit “Hellín Sur” and we joined the national road N-301, Cieza Murcia-taking direction. After a 3 km appear to us the unmistakable promontory of the Tolman.
The tour starts from the panel 1, located in the driveway to the city. From here there is a flight of stairs that leads directly to the path carved into the rock. It seems that there were five defensive enclosures, correspond to the oldest terrace of the Bronze Age. In Roman times, a new wall was built to commemorate the conversion of the Roman city municipality (siglo I).
If we look to our left from the place in which we find, we can see the access road to the city carved in rock, fully appreciate where the ruts of the wheels of Roman chariots and, including, a perpendicular samples that facilitated the movement of people and horses.
We continue the visit to our right ascending a staircase carved into the rock itself. If we continue in this direction, got to the reconstruction of a mill in the Ibero-Roman era. Of all the activities of the city, is the production of oil.
Following the path marked on the ground the central part of the city where we find the best kept secret of the Tolmo is reached. It is the remains of a Visigoth basilica (VI and VII centuries), representing one of the examples of religious architecture of Visigothic of east peninsular. A extends around an entire neighborhood with homes Islamic features. Inside tombs have been found relating to important people within the Church. Later, this temple must have been desecrated and, once ruined Basilica, began to be plundered to transform its former site in an Islamic neighborhood dedicated to pottery.
We then headed east and reached the Acropolis, the highest point of the city. From here you can enjoy a magnificent view of the valley through which ran the old Roman road to Carthago Nova, and a number of tombs carved into the rock.
Then we come to a place in which a tear in the rock carved stairways, that descend from the north side of the hill. At the end of an open path of them on the slope that leads, first, to one of the cave houses restored and inhabited until the early 50. It was muy humble homes with only three of the rooms, small pens and ovens to bake bread.
Following the path to the end we came straight to the northern necropolis, at the foot of Tolmo, that would end the visit.