Caravaca de la Cruz

It is the fifth Holy City of Catholic Christianity, having been granted the papal privilege of celebrating a jubilee year in perpetuity in 1998. It celebrates its jubilee every seven years.

Caravaca is dominated by the Basilica of Vera Cruz. It houses the Cross of Caravaca, a relic that, according to Christian tradition, is believed to be a fragment of the True Cross. It is attributed miraculous properties, and celebrated with a feast day every 3 May. The cultural festival surrounding this liturgical occasion, held between 1 and 5 May of each year, has been declared of International Tourist Interest in 2004. Along with processions and parades of Moors and Christians, the celebration of Los Caballos del Vino is especially relevant, which now aspires to be listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

The Neoclassical painter Rafael Tejeo was born in Caravaca.

Caravaca is home to other monuments and museums. The hills which extend to the north are rich in marble and iron, while the town itself has been a considerable industrial centre, with large iron-works, tanneries and paper, chocolate and oil factories. A large archeological site was found in January 2009, comprising 1,300 graves dating from 2400 to 1950 BC.