Between Ruins and Sacred Stones in the Spanish Hinterland by Gunnar Knechtel

Hidden ruins and sacred stones are scattered throughout the Spanish hinterland, located off the beaten path and steeped in mystery. Some of them have sparse historical records, while others speak of conquests, lost territories, abandoned settlements and places of sacrifice; they are remnants of industrial progress, of rise and decline, and bear witness to diverse cultures. Some blend seamlessly into the landscape, while others rise from the ground with a quiet grandeur and haunting beauty. But why do we preserve them? What compels us to leave them standing? Perhaps they evoke a sense of awe, fear or respect – testaments to the endurance of the human spirit, partially swallowed by nature but still standing? Or maybe these stones help us understand our past as part of a temporal continuum – a lens through which we can interrogate our contemporary present.