There are numerous volcanoes in Spain, although the vast majority of them are found in the Canary Islands. What many people do not know is that there are volcanoes in Catalonia, in Castilla la Mancha and Ciudad Real. It has some special characteristics and they are asleep for now. There are numerous types of volcanoes in Spain and we are going to see what their characteristics are.
In this article we're going to tell you everything you need to know about the different volcanoes in Spain and what their main characteristics are.
Volcanoes in Spain
El Teide in Tenerife
At 3.715 meters above sea level, it is undoubtedly the highest peak in Spain and the third highest volcano in the world. Located in Tenerife (Canary Islands), it is visited by 3 million people every year. Its formation began 170.000 years ago, and the last eruption occurred in 1798. To learn more about similar volcanoes and their formation, you can consult our article on volcanoes in the Canary Islands.
The TeneguÃa in La Palma
On October 27, 1971, the Spanish volcano erupted for the penultimate time and returned to calm on November 28. After several days of significant seismic activity, the latest eruption was recorded yesterday. TeneguÃa is located on the island of La Palma, less than 1.000 meters above sea level. There is no vegetation in the surrounding area.
Tagoro, El Hierro
In the town of La Restinga (El Hierro), an underwater volcano erupted in October 2011 and continued until March 2012. Five years later, scientists monitored the volcano because they feared it could become active again with greater force. This highlights the importance of active volcanoes in the region.
Cerro Gordo, Ciudad Real
The Cerro Gordo volcano is located between Granátula and Valenzuela de Calatrava (Ciudad Real). It is now a museum and has been open to the public since 2016. During your visit, you will learn how it was formed and enjoy the surrounding landscape. It stands 831 meters tall. The Campo Calatrava volcanic region is an example of interior plate volcanic activity related to the uplift of the Betic Cordillera and the movement of the Eurasian and African tectonic plates . It began with the eruption of the Morrón de Villamayor de Calatrava volcano 8,5 million years ago. Its last eruption occurred at the Columba volcano 5500 years ago. To learn more about other volcanoes, read about the different types of volcanoes.
La Arzollosa, Piedrabuena (Ciudad Real)
It may be between eight and one million years old and is part of what was formerly called the "central volcanic area." Piedrabuena is linked to the fissures (La Chaparra, Colada de La Cruz, and La Arzollosa) that caused significant volcanic events. The volcanic cone is 100 meters high and is composed mainly of molten scoria. The crater opens to the southwest; in fact, regarding its fracturing characteristics, the most notable feature of this volcano is the eruption that built it and formed the most important Pajojo flow field on the Iberian Peninsula.
San Juanma, La Palma
It is located in the Las Manchas neighborhood of El Paso, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Palma. It erupted on June 24, 1949, destroying fields and houses after the lava flow . The result of this eruption is the Cueva de las Palomas (Cave of the Doves), recently renamed the Todoque volcanic tube. Its scientific interest is of great geological importance, and its biological importance has increased due to its unique invertebrate fauna. The relationship between volcanoes and invertebrates is a fascinating topic.
Enmedio, an underwater volcano between Tenerife and Gran Canaria
It is a giant with a diameter of almost three kilometers at its base, and there is currently no eruptive activity. Five hundred meters southwest of the main edifice of the Enmedio volcano are two secondary cones, whose height does not exceed 100 meters above the seabed. The existence of this volcano was accurately detected by the German oceanographic vessel Meteor in the late 1980s, although it was first mapped by the IEO vessel Hespérides in the late 1990s. The steep slopes of this volcano are very prominent, converging only near the base of the volcano.
It should also be noted that only one of the two cones, each about 100 meters high, located next to the Enmedio volcano and separated by a depression, is known. The Enmedio volcano is closer to Tenerife than to Gran Canaria. Specifically, it is located approximately 25 kilometers from the Abona lighthouse and 36 kilometers from the port of La Aldea de San Nicolás de Tolentino.
Pico Viejo, Tenerife Island
Pico Viejo (3.100 meters) is a volcano located in Tenerife. Along with Mount Teide, it is one of only two mountains in the Canary Islands with an altitude exceeding 3.000 meters. It has a crater 800 meters in diameter and a maximum depth of 225 meters, which was once an impressive lava lake. In the Middle Ages (1798), Pico Viejo began to erupt, triggering one of Tenerife's most significant eruptions, which occurred within the park. It expelled volcanic material over three months, forming nine vents and causing black material to spill across the southern part of the Las Cañadas Caldera. This series of neatly arranged craters is called the Narices del Teide (Teide's Nostrils). It forms part of the natural landscape of Teide National Park and is also known as Montania Cha Hora.
It is also a protected natural area and belongs to the natural monument that encompasses the Teide-Pico Viejo volcanic group. Its formation began approximately 200.000 years ago in the center of the island. It should be noted that magma is currently easy to access on the island , and this crater is considered one of the most interesting in the Canary Islands due to its diverse shapes, a product of its evolution.
Los Ajaches, Lanzarote
Los Ajaches is a large volcanic formation occupying the southern part of the island. It comprises a section on the leeward side and a rocky plain on the windward side. This important archaeological heritage site is located in the town of Yaiza, where caves, carvings, and remnants of ancient pastures can be found. The area is the oldest part of the island and is still severely damaged by erosion, the ravines carved by this natural route over the last ten million years. Los Ajaches is located within Timanfaya National Park. The Los Ajaches section stretches from Punta del Papagayo at the southernmost point to Playa Quemda in the center. It is the remnant of a volcano that existed 15 million years ago. Ocean erosion has worn away most of the 600-meter-thick rock formation. The last eruption was 3 million years ago.
Alto de la Guajara, Tenerife Island
At 2.717 meters above sea level, it is the third highest volcano in the Canary Islands. It was formed 3 million years ago. Teide National Park is a complement to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; this is mainly because each represents the type of island (Hawaii) and the more evolved and differentiated structure (Ted) of magma and less evolved volcanic form. From a landscape perspective, Teide National Park has similar characteristics to Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona, USA).
Santa Margarida, Girona
In the town of Olot in Girona, we discovered the Santa Margarida Volcano. By appearance, it has little to do with the previous one. The most striking thing is that there is a recoil inside the crater.
Croscat, Girona
This Strombolian volcano is located in the La Garrotxa region . Specifically, it lies within the Garrotxa Volcanic Belt Natural Park, home to 40 volcanic cones and 20 lava flows. It is considered the youngest, but has been dormant since its last eruption 11.500 years ago.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about volcanoes in Spain and their characteristics.