Subbetica
Iznájar Reservoir Visitor Centre
IZNÁJAR RESERVOIR INTERPRETATION CENTRE
Valdearenas - Paseo José Montilla, no.
Telephone: 638717204
Email: ciembalse@gmail.com
⏰ OPENING HOURS - see photo gallery
The Iznájar Reservoir Interpretation Centre is located in the Valdearenas Natural Area, 2 km from the town of Iznájar. It is a place where visitors can discover the natural and cultural heritage surrounding the River Genil and the Iznájar Reservoir.
The centre features a series of exhibits designed to give visitors a first-hand understanding of the River Genil, the construction of the reservoir, the reservoir as an ecosystem, and the heritage, history and culture of Iznájar.
In addition, visitors can attend talks and lectures on the reservoir, take part in workshops (making bird feeders and nesting boxes) and walk along a signposted trail to identify the flora and fauna around the centre.
OUTDOORS
The Iznájar Reservoir Interpretation Centre features a garden of aromatic plants with information on each species (name and uses). Visitors can also follow a 2 km signposted trail. Along the route there are 5 information boards providing details on the birds of the reservoir and the Tajo de Valdearenas, on reptiles, fish and amphibians, on the River Genil and on the Iznájar Reservoir.
MODEL ROOM https://maquetapantanoiznajar.blogspot.com/
Discover the incredible story of a village submerged beneath the waters of Andalusia’s largest reservoir.
One of the main attractions of the Interpretation Centre is the model illustrating what the area looked like before the reservoir was built. This model is complemented by a hand-drawn sketch of the San José neighbourhood by María Molina López, a resident of this flooded village.
Numerous houses, villages and farmland were flooded following this major project, which in 1969 was considered one of the 25 best in the world. This event changed the history of Iznájar forever, transforming the landscape and the way of life of its inhabitants.
Designed and built by Marcel Barti Casadevall and Anna Cordón Escobar. Anna was born in Las Huertas de la Granja, between Geníl, Las Casillas and Puente Solerche. With the construction of the dam in 1969, the waters covered much of this area and the history of Anna and her family. Hoping to restore as much of this environment as possible, we decided to begin building this model in 2007. It has been a three-year project: gathering information to establish a solid foundation with full historical accuracy, which would ultimately serve as the starting point for this work. All the farms and farmhouses retain the same perimeter and shape they had at the time the topographical map was drawn up. We have reconstructed the terrain and relief using contour lines at 10-metre intervals on a true-to-scale basis. The dimensions are 4 x 3 metres. Each metre of the model corresponds to 2 kilometres in reality. It is also our hope that everyone who visits the model can take a journey back in time to the years before the reservoir was built. And thus recall a true past of people, places, experiences and customs that today remain submerged. Olot 2007–2013
GROUND FLOOR
On the ground floor of the Iznájar Reservoir Interpretation Centre, you will find the reception area, an exhibition featuring some of the tools used in the construction of the reservoir, newspapers from the day of its inauguration, and an audiovisual presentation. The centre also has a shop.
FIRST FLOOR
It comprises four areas, each with a different theme (featuring graphics, interactive displays and models), a multi-purpose room and a terrace with a birdwatching point and a weather station.
Area 1: The River Genil, the soul of a region
Area 2: The Genil, a witness to history.
Area 3: An artificial ecosystem
Area 4: A humanised river.
