Sabina Albar

North of the province of Almeria, in the eastern Cordillera of Andalusia and in the Natural Park Sierra María-Los Vélez is located on a plateau over 1600 meters high, the Monument Sabina Albar.
It is unique that it estimates a millennial age. It has a cup of dark green and highly branched extended is supported by a thick and tortuous trunk whose roots base stand naked. The print gives an even more longevity. This tree is retained as a stronghold of the forest steppe of the Tertiary period, which gave a harsh continental climate with strong thermal fluctuations and periods of summer drought. Therefore, it is considered a faithful witness to the passage of history for these environments.
This kind of slow growth, has leaf-shaped flakes to prevent water loss. Presents male and female individuals, whose fruit, called gálbulos, ripen the second year buying a bluish green color. These fruits are eaten by birds, which in turn disperse the seeds. It has a hard wood, good quality, rich in resins and highly prized for cabinet making and carpentry work, one of the reasons why it occurred in its past logging.
In addition, visitors should not leave these settings without knowing the natural and cultural richness of the Natural Park of Sierra de María-Vélez. The people of Chirivel was the point of the ancient "Via Augusta" and so testified by the archaeological remains from Roman times found at the site of "Villar". Here too was found a statue of Dionysos, the second century, whose replica can be seen on the "Paseo de la Alameda". From this point you can continue the visit to the Church of "San Isidro" and the "Casa del Minero".

Technical Data:

Declaration Date: October 1 of 2003
Province: Almería
Municipality: Chirivel

Source: Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Andalucía.