🎵 Audio guide
The main aims of the trail which takes in the Tagus International Biosphere Reserve Murals, are to safeguard and promote the cultural and natural heritage of this area. The reserve straddles the Spanish-Portuguese border with the Tagus River as the unifying feature. It was awarded UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status in 2016, forming part of an international network of natural ecosystems.
It offers a sensory journey through the village with urban artwork as a common theme – at just over 1.5km it is an enjoyable stroll through diverse streets, which showcase Salorino’s rich heritage.
Artists from the Muro Crítico collective have created a series of murals on the theme of the various aspects of the biosphere reserve: the local architecture, scenery, food, history, flora and fauna, and crafts…
Using techniques such as hyper-realism, the walls of Salorino have been brought to life and offer unique experiences, such as the main square which boast the largest extension of murals in Extremadura. Let yourself be swept along and enjoy this surprising, colourful walk. There is detailed information about each mural available on the map.
Murals with titles such as “Extremaduran Rural Pride”, “Protected Birds of the Reserve”, “Designs in la Raya (this border area)”, “Acorn Collecting”, “Man and the Dehesa, Interactions”, “Unique Species of the Reserve”, “Megalithic Culture in la Raya” and “Tagus Still Life” are scattered through the village forming a unique work of art.
Along the route there are murals which cover a single wall and other more unusual murals such as “Protected Birds of the Reserve” and “Man and the Dehesa, Interactions” which occupy the front and side walls, or “Megalithic Culture inla Raya” designed to be an optical illusion.
It is worth taking time to not just enjoy the beauty of the murals, but also to appreciate the quality of the artwork and the composition, and to try to understand their objective. Discovering the messages that some of the pieces are attempting to convey can be a fulfilling experience.
This trail also takes in the Tagus International Living Memorial (Memoria Viva) Museum, an open-air exhibition in two separate locations.
The first, in the Plaza de la Bola, displays the history of the way of life of the local people; their architecture, professions, smuggling, gastronomy and celebrations, where local people tell of their life experiences.
The second location is the Alcántara drovers’ road (Cordel de Alcántara), a route used to drive livestock on foot from summer to winter pastures, which links Cáceres with Alcántara. Here, the information is specifically related to the transhumance, the main use of the drovers’ road, and the exhibits include details about livestock, the network of drovers’ roads, related buildings and culture, with reference to both the past and present situation.
Taking advantage of the walk through the old centre of the village, we can appreciate Salorino’s traditional architecture and cultural heritage. The interactive route map contains information about various interesting architectural and ethnographic features.