Shireen Khalil

The English idiom“l(fā)iving under a rock”is not figurative (比喻的) but quite literal for over 3000 inhabitants of Setenil de las Bodegas, Spain where houses are built into the rock. Cave walls serve as roofs and walls of certain houses in the Spanish town.

This is an actual town in Spain, built among rock outcrops and formations (巖石露頭和巖層之間). The town is situated along a narrow river gorge (峽谷), with some houses being built into the rock walls of the river gorge. The town was built by taking advantage of the natural erosion of the rock walls caused by the nearby river and other factors.

The houses have been built by enlarging natural caves found in the gorge and simply adding a few extra walls. The rock walls and caves were particularly enticing for early settlers who did not have to build four walls and a roof to construct a house. Nature provided them with walls and in some cases even a roof. The rock covering extends on to the streets of the town, providing a natural shade for people walking on them.

The rocks not only serve as roofs and walls, but they also help in controlling the temperature of the houses. Setenil de las Bodegas suffers from very high temperatures during summer. The rock walls help take the edge off it during this time.

Aside from houses, there are cafes and restaurants which are also built into the rock walls. Tourists to the town can enjoy their food in the comfortable shade of giant rocks.

Reading Check

Do you know anything about the town in Spain?Please share its features except what is mentioned in the text with your classmates.