Abanilla

Abanilla is a Spanish municipality located in the Comarca Oriental (composed by Fortuna and Abanilla) in the Autonomous Community of Murcia. It lies close to the border of the province of Alicante in the Autonomous Community of Valencia.GeographyAbanilla occupies a surface area of 236.6 km² and is situated 222 metres above sea level. It lies on a natural foundation which has been degraded by a number of aggregate and marble quarries.Paleontological SignificanceA karstic paleontological site is located on the southeast slope of the Sierra de Quibas in an abandoned limestone quarry. Researchers have discovered vertebrate and invertebrate fossils at this site. They collected rodent fossils and used dental patterns to identify these to be of the Muroidea subfamily Arvicolinae. Using stratigraphic and sedimentological features in the limestone, the scientists were able to date these fossils to the Early Pleistocene subepoch.Points of interestPoints of interest in Abanilla include the Old Town, the Fuente de Algarrobo, the Santuario de Mahoya, and the Iglesia Parroquial de San José . Other sights worth visiting include the source of the River Chícamo and the mountains of Abanilla and Quibas.