What to do – route to the Dehesa de la Oliva Archaeological Site

Route to the Dehesa de la Oliva Archaeological Site

This comfortable and accessible route takes you to one of the most important archaeological sites in our municipality: the Dehesa de la Oliva Archaeological Complex. A place of great historical value that allows for a fascinating journey through time, where you can explore the evolution of the civilizations that inhabited the area, from prehistory to the Middle Ages.

The route begins in the Upper Paleolithic, where the first human beings inhabited the caves in the area. During this period, cave-dwelling men and women sought shelter in natural grottoes, leaving traces of their daily lives, their tools, and possibly their rituals. The Dehesa de la Oliva thus becomes a window into the most remote past, where we can imagine what life was like for the first inhabitants.

We continue the journey into the Neolithic, a key period in human evolution. During this era, the inhabitants began to leave the caves and make use of the exterior of the hill, settling in more open areas and developing the first forms of agriculture and livestock farming. This transition toward sedentary life marked a radical change in the forms of social and territorial organization, leaving behind remains of structures and tools linked to these early productive activities.

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Antiguos hornos: Testigos de la alimentación tradicional

The wood-fired ovens of Patones de Arriba are an invaluable testimony to the rural life of the village. Used mainly for baking bread, these ovens were an essential part of daily life, not only for food, but also as meeting places for families.

In the mid-twentieth century, Patones de Arriba had as many as 20 ovens in operation, but today only half a dozen remain, most of them on Despeñadero Street. These ovens, built with local materials such as slate, are witnesses to an ancient tradition that has survived to the present day.

Lavadero y Fuente Nueva: Un refugio de agua y tradición

One of the most emblematic corners of Patones de Arriba is the washing place and the fountain known as “Fuente Nueva”. Built in 1908, this fountain supplied water to the neighbors and, together with the washing place, formed an important social meeting point. For many years, the women of the village used this space to wash clothes and meet, while the men used to meet in the nearby tavern.

Today, the fountain retains its original charm, with its two spouts and large basin, while the washhouse remains a symbol of the daily life of yesteryear. If you are lucky and the weather is favorable, you can see how the water forms a beautiful waterfall after crossing the small slate bridge.

Eras: Testigos de la trilla y el cereal

The threshing floors of Patones de Arriba are some of the oldest stone “terraces” of the village, arranged in staggered terraces. Originally, these esplanades were used for cereal threshing, an agricultural process to separate the grain from the straw and prepare the crops for consumption.

Although today they are used as viewpoints, these threshing floors are a window to the agricultural past of Patones. In the eighteenth century, the neighbors had to work during the month of July in the threshing, a task that required the use of mules and oxen, and that demanded an enormous effort without modern machinery.

Tinados y arrenes: Construcciones de la vida ganadera

In the highest part of the village, you will find a series of buildings that seem to have been forgotten over time. However, the tinados and arrenes have a deep connection with the rural life of Patones. The tinados, built in slate, were used to shelter herds of goats and sheep, while the arrenes were used to store and protect crops and livestock.

These structures, which today look like ruins, were vital in their time, as they supported the agricultural and livestock economy of the town. If you head to the upper part of Patones, you can enjoy breathtaking views while discovering the historical function of these constructions.

Viviendas de Patones: Un Reflejo de la historia del pueblo

Patones de Arriba is famous for its slate houses, which give the village its particular character and aesthetics. The evolution of its houses tells us the history of the place, from the small and primitive single-storey buildings to the two-storey houses with Arabic tiles dating from the eighteenth century.

As you walk through the village, you can see how the older houses, which used local materials such as slate, wood and rockrose, have been adapted over the centuries. The first floor of many of these houses used to be a single space used for both animal stables and the kitchen, where slate fireplaces were essential for heating and curing food.

Antigua iglesia de San José: Un viaje en el tiempo

In the life of any rural getaway, visiting the village church is one of the most enriching experiences. In Patones de Arriba, the Antigua Iglesia de San José, dating from 1653, is not only a testament to its religious history, but also a vital cultural and tourist center for the community.

Originally a hermitage with a bell tower, it was converted into a church in 1753 and was used for local worship until the population moved to Patones de Abajo. In the 19th century, it was abandoned and, starting in the 1990s, rebuilt as the Center for Tourist, Educational, Cultural and Leisure Initiatives (CITECO). Today, it houses the Tourist Office, an exhibition hall and a model of the village.

The most curious thing about this church is its construction. Although it is located in one of the most traditional areas of the village, its walls are not made of the typical slate, but of limestone, which gives it a unique appearance. Despite the years, a small chapel with an image of the Virgen de las Candelas is preserved, recalling its former religious use.