Paraje Natural Torcal de Antequera

El Torcal, a fascinating nature reserve of 1,171 hectares, is located around 14 km from the provincial town of Antequera in the province of Málaga [Google Maps]. This area is famous for its extraordinary karst formations, which are among the most impressive landscapes in Spain. The bizarre stone sculptures are reminiscent of the formations in the American Bryce Canyon, but while those shine in shades of orange and red, El Torcal is dominated by grey and white limestone colors. On clear days, the view stretches as far as the Mediterranean coast and even as far as Africa.

Around 100 million years ago, the present-day area of El Torcal was still covered by the sea. Over millions of years, sediments were deposited on the seabed, which were later compacted into thick layers of limestone. The collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates caused the area to rise, creating the hills and mountains that characterize El Torcal today. Expansion fissures appeared, into which water penetrated and which expanded over time. Carbonic acid weathering, which is typical of karst areas, played a central role in shaping this landscape. This chemical erosion led to the formation of the characteristic, wildly jagged rocky landscape, which today looks like a stone garden.

El Torcal was first designated as a "nature reserve of national interest" in 1929. In 1978, it was given the status of a nature park and was finally protected as a "nature reserve" (Paraje Natural) in 1989. The diverse flora and fauna make the park a valuable ecological treasure. Over 116 vertebrate species have been counted here, including one amphibian, eleven reptile species, 82 bird species and 22 mammals. Particularly noteworthy is the population of Iberian ibex, which often roam the steep cliffs.

In addition to vertebrates, El Torcal is home to a rich insect world, which forms the food base for many of the higher animal species. The park's flora includes over 600 plant species, including 30 species of wild orchids. Six of these orchid species are endemic and occur exclusively in El Torcal, making the park an important botanical hotspot.