Dinosaur footprints Natural Monument
This is one of two sites in Andalucia with dinosaur prints. This is Santisteban del Puerto. The 24 prints cover an area of sandstone only 20m² on a site near Santisteban del Puerto, northeast of Úbeda. They date from the Late Triassic period over 230 million years ago, but the prints are still a mystery since scientists have been unable to identify the species of dinosaur that made the prints.
At this palaeontological site, 24 dinosaur footprints from the group known as the Arcosaurus were found, dating back more than 230 million years. These fossilised tracks, known in Spanish as "icnitas", do not form easily. Certain environmental conditions must be present for them to form, one of which is that the material on which the animals walked must have been different from that which was later deposited. These prints were almost certainly pressed into sediment on the bed of a river or lake, and later covered by another material that allowed them to be preserved.
These pre-human traces provide valuable information about the animals that made them and the environment in which they lived. The shape of the prints tells us that these dinosaurs walked on two legs, with movements similar to those of a kangaroo. You can even deduce information such as their approximate size and weight, age and social habits. The way the 24 prints are arranged, facing in the same direction, suggests a group of animals moving to a specific location. Traces of fossilised pollen and vegetation also reveal environmental conditions that were very different from today's. The vegetation consisted of conifers, palms and ferns, the result of a hotter and wetter climate than today. Located to the west of the village, just off the A-312.
Practical info
The site is located next to the A-312. It is possible to pull off the road and park. The site is open 24 hours a day and the footprints are kept in a small locked hut built to protect them. They can only be seen through a barred window. There is also a playground with replicas of some of the dinosaurs and children love to be photographed with them. There is also an information board.
Location
Off the A312 a few km west of Santisteban del Puerto