Cieza

The city of Cieza, in every street, path, garden or mountain displays its beauty, by opening up the traveller's appreciation of the senses. Its Palaeolithic and Neolithic remains are unique in the whole Mediterranean fringe and its examples of cave paintings have been declared World Heritage by UNESCO. The Iberians and Moslems also left their mark, the latter in the archaeological collection of Medina Siyasa. Evidence of these cultures are preserved in the Museum of Siyasa. Other outstanding monuments are the Church of the Assumption from the eighteenth century; the Church of St. Joaquin, built in the seventeenth century; the Convent Church of the Clarissas, dating back to the eighteenth; the Hermitage of the St. Cristo del Consuelo (Holy Christ of Solace), with its Neogothic-Mudejar style, and last, but not least, the Hermitage of the Buen Suceso. Its artistic heritage is completed by the Balcon del Muro, a historical centre which consists of the ancient fifteenth century fort and the nineteenth century wall. Cieza offers the chance to not only appreciate its culture but also to enjoy the risks of Nature. Near Cieza's town we can found one of the most remarkable natural beauty spots, the Almadenes Canyon, formed by the River Segura as it narrows creating a gorge with walls hundreds of metres high, which is ideal for practising adventure sports.