Location: Vall d’Uixo
Open: daily
Closed: 1 & 6 Jan, 25 Dec
Coves de Sant Josep or Saint Joseph's caves is a cave system where certain tunnels are accessible by boats. The caves of San José, located in the natural area of the same name, are a system of natural caves located in the municipality of Vall de Uxó (Castellón) Spain. The cavity represents an active upwelling developed in limestones during the middle Triassic period, but despite the multiple visits of cavers, the origin of the river and the end of the cave are still unknown. Grotto whose temperature remains constant at 20 ºC in the interior of the cave throughout the year, and with its current 2,750 meters, represents the longest cavity in the province of Castellón and the 2nd in the Valencian Community. It is the longest navigable underground river in Europe.
Before the advances of the 20th century, important historians such as J. Cavanilles, Sebastián Miñano, or Pascual Madoz, already cited in their works on geography the existence of Coves de Sant Josep. It was also recorded that the cavity was known since the Upper Paleolithic (about 17,000 years ago), as evidenced by the archaeological sites found in the mouth of access with the cave paintings of the Magdalenian period. Even the proximity of an Iberian town also indicated that during the Iberian era the cave was known and explored, as during the long Roman rule, at the sight of a tombstone found dedicated to Caio Cneo Crassus, son of the Roman consul Marco Licinio Crassus .
Before the advances of the 20th century, important historians such as J. Cavanilles, Sebastián Miñano, or Pascual Madoz, already mentioned the existence of this cavity in their works on geography. It was also known that the cavity was known since the Upper Paleolithic (about 17,000 years ago), as demonstrated by the archaeological sites found at the access mouth next to the cave paintings from the Magdalenian period. Even the proximity of an Iberian settlement also indicated that during the Iberian era the cave was known and explored, as well as during the long Roman domination, in view of a tombstone found dedicated to Caio Gnaeus Crassus, son of the Roman consul Marcus Licinius Crassus. .
There are references from the 19th century about the custom of
neighbors gathering around the area's fountain (La Font de San Josep),
due to the Festa de les Flors festival, where it was common for the most
daring to enter the cave. However, it was not until 1902, when the first
known exploration was carried out, reaching the Boca del Forn (a narrow
passage that, through the small space left by the waters at that time,
marked the limit of the accessible part of the cave).
During the
following years, interest in knowing the cave in detail grew, and in
1915 the historian Carlos Sarthou Carreres carried out a partial
exploration. In 1926, a group of residents crossed the Boca del Forn and
reached Lake Diana (Llac Diana), finding the Gallery of the Siphons
(Galeria dels Sifons) as an insurmountable obstacle. In 1929, Herminio
Arroyas Martínez, a local resident, died while trying to overcome the
Siphon Gallery. In these years, the first attempts to condition the cave
to facilitate visits began by installing walkways, and from 1936 to
1950, urbanization works began, with dredging and construction of a dam,
so that in 1950, La Boca de Forn is no longer the limit of the route,
and through drilling it is enlarged to allow the passage of boats.
The first exploration carried out by a group of speleologists was
carried out in 1954, by the Valencia Excursionist Center, and in 1958
said group prepared the first topographical plan of the cave. In 1960,
the continuity of the cave was confirmed when Joaquín Saludes, from the
Center for Underwater Research and Activities of Valencia, surpassed the
Gallery of the Siphons.
Dynamite blasting allowed this passage to
be opened in 1961, revealing the Blue Pond and the rest of the galleries
that make up the current route, also discovering the Dry Gallery.
In the following years (from 1971 to 1975), various expeditions of
speleologists from Castellón and scuba divers from Barcelona, will end
up discovering new galleries and siphons, after reaching the known end
of the cavity, reaching 2,348 meters in length.
The entrance mouth is equipped as a pier (for tourist visits to the
urbanized area). From the pier it flows into the "Sala de los
Murciélagos" ("Sala de les Rates Penades"), which gives way to the
so-called "Boca del Forn", (an old artificially widened siphon). Passing
it, the gallery accesses a new narrow passage: the "Gallery of the
Siphons" (an old flooded siphon that constituted the penetrable end of
the cavity until its urbanization). Behind it and parallel to it there
is a dry area ("Galería Seca"), at the end of which and joining again
with the flooded gallery, the tourist route concludes.
At this
point the gallery continues and a new dynamited siphon appears, which
gives way to the room called "Ensorrada", and later to the "Fang"
gallery. Finally, and after overcoming several siphons, you access a
wide gallery obstructed at its end by large blocks, with the possibility
of a passage between them.
Bat Room: It is the first of the large
rooms and owes its name to the large number of bats that were once
housed in that cavity. In this room, the vault stands out, with its
countless shapes sculpted by water over millions of years.
Diana's
Lake: Leaving the Bat Room and going through the lovers' walk, you reach
"Diana's Lake", 5 meters deep, characterized by green areas of moss that
grows in this dark environment (artificial lighting ).
Siphon
Gallery: The siphon gallery, 60 meters long, is the longest artificial
tunnel on the route, where tiny crustaceans live that only live in this
type of natural spaces.
Dry Zone: From a second pier the visit to the
"Dry Gallery" begins, where - on the rock - and through lights and
shadows, peculiar formations such as the Cascada de la Flor stand out.
The Cathedral The Cathedral, so called because of the great height of
its vault (it measures 12 meters), and because of the stalactites that
hang like "the Medusa" throughout the room.
The San José area has a complex of various facilities and services
designed for the entertainment and enjoyment of visitors:
Swimming
pools and children's play area.
The Auditorium (celebration of
musical activities) and "La Bocatería".
Hermitage of the Sagrada
Familia, built in the 18th century, next to which the Ibero town is
located.
parking