Visit Olula del Rio, the Mujer de Almanzora and the museum

The essential things to see and do in Olula del Rio

In this article you’ll find all the information you need to know about the best things to see in Olula del Rio :

• A few words about Olula del Rio
• Where is Olula del Rio on the map?
• Must-sees in Olula del Rio?
• What to do in the province of Almeria
• Book accommodation on the coast
• The main fiestas in Olula del Rio
• What to visit in the surrounding area
• Some useful links
• Continuing your trip to Andalucia

A few words about Olula del Rio

Olula del Rio is a small town of 6,000 inhabitants in the province of Almeria. It lies in the Almanzora valley, alongside the towns of Purchena, Macael, Urrácal and Fines.

Olula del Rio’s main activity is marble quarrying, as is Macael next door. For the record, this is the only town I’ve ever seen with marble street signs!

Where is Olula del Rio on the map?

Best things to see in Olula del Rio

In the end, my visit to Olula del Rio focused on just one part of the town. It’s a wonderful place where I spent several hours….

This place is great. What’s more, admission is free, as is parking. You can discover :

1 – The incredible sculpture of La Mujer de Almanzora

2 – Casa Ibañez contemporary art museum

3 – The Perez Siquier photography centre

1 – The incredible sculpture of La Mujer de Almanzora a must see in Olula del Rio

The sculpture of La Mujer de Almanzora is the largest marble sculpture in Spain. It is a gigantic work of art. It is truly impressive.

This fabulous sculpture is new. In fact, it has only been installed since 2017.

The sculptor and designer of this marble work is Antonio López. This sculptor is best known for his paintings. In fact, he is the most important living Spanish painter.

Creating this sculpture was a real technical challenge. The marble sculpture weighs…. 200 tonnes! It is made entirely of marble, with an iron structure inside.

Note: the 82 blocks of white Macael marble were donated by Cosentino. The various pieces that make up the sculpture were manufactured by the Cuéllar company. The architect is Andrés García Ibáñez.

This monument is hollow inside and can be visited. To this end, a small underground exhibition room has been built over the foundations, which can be accessed from the plaza via an external staircase.

La Mujer del Almanzora

This sculpture was a turning point in the province of Almeria, as it became the most important urban monument in the province’s history. What’s more, it was created by the greatest living Spanish artist. It has also become the most important point of reference for cultural tourism in south-east Spain.

This work is a tribute to the women of the Almanzora valley and to the white gold – marble – that is the source of life in this valley.

The inspiration for the head of the woman in the sculpture came from one of Antonio López’s students at the Faculty of Fine Arts. He chose this student, Fatima, who spent many hours modelling for him. He had found ‘a beautiful girl, very pretty, with a chaste sensuality’ for his sculpture.

2 – Casa Ibañez contemporary art museum

This museum was opened in 2004. It is managed by the Ibáñez Cosentino Art Foundation, and owned by the museum’s founder, Andrés García Ibáñez.

Note: Andrés García Ibañez is a painter born in 1971 and a member of Granada’s Academy of Fine Arts. The permanent collections on display are part of his private collection.

The Museo Casa Ibáñez in Olula del Río is one of the largest collections of contemporary art in Andalucia (from Goya to the present day).

It comprises 16 exhibition rooms. 14 rooms are dedicated to exhibiting the museum’s permanent collection and 2 are dedicated to the temporary exhibitions that the museum puts on throughout the year.

Around 1,200 works are on display.

These include works by Goya, Sorolla, Cabral Bejarano, the Madrazo brothers, Benlliure, Benedito, Zuloaga, López Mezquita, Chicharro, Mateo Inurria, Benjamín Palencia, Pinazo, Golucho, Noé Serrano, Roberto Manzano, Juan Polo, Paco López, Joaquín Ramo, Alfonso Fraile and Antonio López.

There are also several works by 20th-century artists from the province of Almeria, including Ginés Parra, Federico Castellón, Jesús de Perceval, Capuleto and Pedro Gilabert.

I can guarantee you a very surprising visit to the paintings and sculptures on display! And don’t hesitate to have a look around the museum too….

3 – The Perez Siquier photography centre

This centre is right next to the museum. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves photography, because it’s superb. I have fond memories of this permanent exhibition.

The centre is named after Carlos Pérez Siquier. This Almeria-born photographer (1930-2021) is considered one of the pioneers of the photographic avant-garde in Spain. He also won the National Photography Prize in 2003.

He was also a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias in Granada.

In 1950, he completed his photography studies at the Almeria School of Art.

In 1956, he began his legendary ‘La Chanca’ series, of which many photos can be seen:

This series of photos of the poor district of Almeria – La Chanca – is an anthropological work.

His photos also show the dignity of poverty. This is particularly evident in the black and white photos, but also in the colour ones.

His lighter series of beach photos is also very inspiring and telling:

There are also 2 rooms with other photographers, with world-famous photos. Most of them date from the Civil War and subsequent years.

Things to do in the province of Almeria

Book accommodation on the coast in Mojacar

Below you will find all the hotels and accommodation available in and around Mojacar, once you have selected your dates:

The main fiestas in Olula del Rio

This festival celebrates the patron saints of Olula del Rio: San Sebastián and San Ildefonso.

It takes place around 20 January and was declared to be of national tourist interest in Andalucia in 1998.

It has to be said that this festival is very special: two nights are devoted to the festival of fire… while on 20 January the saints are celebrated in a procession. What’s special about this procession is that as the saints pass by, the locals throw roscos (round loaves of bread and doughnuts) from their balconies, windows and terraces at the saints.

La Feria de Olula del Río

What to visit in the area

Not far from Olula del Río, there are three really beautiful places to visit:

Macael and its marble quarries

Here’s the link to find out what to see in Macael.

Nijar and Cabo de Gata Park

Here’s the link to everything you need to see in Nijar.

Mojacar, a fabulous white village

Here’s the link to everything you need to see in Mojacar.

Some useful links

Staying on the Costa del Sol? Explore Andalucia with excursions from Malaga (Torremolinos, Estepona, Benalmadena).

If you’re planning to visit Andalucia, including Seville, you can explore Seville on a private guided tour.

Easy and economical bookings

• your flight

• hire car

• train and bus tickets

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