Viñales Valley

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The Valle de Viñales ( " Viñales Valley " ) is located in the province of Pinar del Río, Cuba's westernmost province. It is located about 30 km north of the provincial capital of Pinar del Río. The valley, which is about 10 km long and 4 km wide, is one of the most beautiful landscapes of Cuba. It is located in the Sierra de los Órganos ( " Organ Pipes Mountains" ). It is with its surrounding mountains, a National Park, which was established in 1999 by UNESCO with the title " Cultural Landscape of Mankind". In the center of the valley is the town of Viñales.

Geology

The rocks of the area in which the valley is located, is part of the geologically oldest part of Cuba. It originated about 170 million years. By lime solution ( erosion) the limestone rocks, which the region owes its fascination, one speaks of karstification developed. Subterranean rivers dug into softer, stocks within the hard limestone interlayers; depending on certain karst hydrological and geological conditions were so numerous smaller and larger cave systems. With the collapse of the cave ceiling and further erosion of visible today, characteristic cone karst ( limestone outcroppings ), the Mogotes ( mogotes ) was born. These reach a height difference of up to 400 m.

Flora and Fauna

Due to the extremely porous subsoil exists on the steep walls of the Mogotes a unique vegetation that has adapted to the rapidly percolating rainwater. There are 20 species that are found only in the Viñales Valley. A particularly interesting plant in the valley is the | Cuban cycad ( Microcycas calocoma ), he is like his relatives at the cycads ( Cycadophyta ) a living fossil that has changed little more since the Carboniferous. As a particular species, there is a rat- like rodent that Jutía. In addition, there are 64 different species of birds in the nature reserve " Viñales Valley ".

Economy

The most important product of the Viñales Valley is the tobacco. In addition, coffee and yucca are grown, they are compared to the tobacco meaningless. An increasingly important role tourism plays. Nevertheless, the region has only a weak tourist infrastructure. Viñales as most visited town in the province of Pinar del Rio, only has a limited number of accommodation facilities and restaurants.

Attractions

The main attraction of the valley is the countryside with its Mogotes, the caves, for example, Cueva del Indio, Cueva de San Miguel and the Caverna de Santo Tomás and the place of Viñales. Another attraction is the Mural de la Prehistory, 1961 by a Mexican artist Leovigildo González Morillo created on a limestone rock, 120 meters high and 180 meters wide work of art whose color needs to be refreshed regularly due to the frequent and heavy rains.