Getting up close and personal with the gigantic geode of Pulpí! This remarkable 10 sqm hollow rock is full of huge crystals!
Pulpí is a small village in eastern Andalucia, on the border with Murcia.
Although this huge geode was discovered in 1999 it has only recently been made accessible as a visitor attraction.
Found within the now abandoned ‘Mina Rica’ silver, lead and iron ore mine in Pilar de Jaravía, in Almeria, Southern Spain, the geode (geoda de Pulpí) is the largest in Europe; second largest known in the world, and the only one visitable).
The Pulpí town hall has done a great job making the mine and geode accessible. For 22 euro visitors can walk with a guide, through the narrow tunnels (once used for loaded mine carts) seeing traces of rare and unusual minerals (some were even glowing in the dark!).
The highlight is seeing the selenite crystals inside the geode. A small entrance has been broken through the hollow rock into the crystal chamber so you can sort of slide in and lie there for a minute to take in the amazing view!
The visit through the mine is 90 minutes long although one only has a few minutes to actually get into the entrance of the geode. But it’s really worth it!
There is a spiral staircase to get down to the level of the geode.
(Guide is only in Spanish. Handouts in English. Sure this will improve as more international visitors discover this place).
Interestingly Europe’s second largest geode is also in the mine but it was destroyed as miners blasted for metals and minerals. Just fragments are left. Maybe even bigger geodes are yet to be discovered in the mine!
#geodadepulpi #pulpi #geoda #geode #Almeria.
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