BETWEEN
THE VALLEY AND THE MOUNTAINS The western
part of the Rioja takes its name from the
little height of its mountains and from the
fact that is the part nearest to the mouth
of the Ebro River. In the Low Rioja we can
distinguish between the valley and the mountains:
The Industry and the irrigated lands, whereas
in the south there is an area with small mountains
, hilly area in which there is still farming
and cattle raising.
HISTORIC AND
ARTISTIC HERITAGE Numerous sources
lead us to the Paleolithic times. Since
that time until now there have been several
civilizations: Celts, Romans, Visigoths,
the christenized civilization of the same
and the Arabs leaving all of them a rich
historic and artistic heritage.
There are Sites with some celtiberian vestiges.
The most remarkable one is the Contrebia-Leukade,
in Inestrillas. This Site is one of the
most complete examples of the Celtiberian
towns.
One of the first Roman colonies founded
in Spain was the one of Gracurris, Alfaro
nowadays. Some vestiges of the Roman settings
are the San Martin Site and the Roman Ninfeo,
which has been appointed as National Monument.
We can also find some remains of numerous
castles, belonging to a period of instability
and constant wars.There are also some religious
monuments and buildings such as the Santa
Maria Cathedral in Calahorra or the San
Miguel Colegiate in Alfaro.
NATURAL
RESOURCES
The Low Rioja has a singular beauty thanks
to the landscape variety that it offers
as well as the several examples of this
natural wealth. Two of the natural ´Rioja
Baja`monuments is ´El Picuezo` and
´La Picueza` to big sand stone monoliths
carved with lots of patience by the wind
that blows in the Cidancos River Valley.
