The recent history of Caravaca de la Cruz has been defined by the presence of one religious relic, even present in the name of the place ("de la Cruz" means "of the Cross").   The Cruz (Cross) is a "Lignum Crucis", a piece of wood supposed to belong to the Cross on which Jesus was executed and this is kept in a reliquary and is in the shape of a cross with two horizontal members (see left).

The castle walls that fortified the Templars in the XIII century, flanked by 14 defence towers, built using ancient Arab construction, surround Caravaca's old town. If you are not particularly fit then it will take you a while to climb up to  sanctuary-church of the Vera Cruz, (construction commenced in 1617 under the patronage of the king Felipe III and concluded in the XVIII century) but it is worth the struggle. If you don't make to the top, then here's the view (above).

You can stand outside and boggle at the curious intermingling of balconies and oriels  (its magnificent red marble porticos stand out, in an almost bewildering array of decorative elements. Don't be tempted to visit the museum that is next door …nothing is in English (despite the fact that the place does get English-speaking visitors). The only "English" guide book is available from the town's Tourist Information Office (hard to find but VERY helpful staff). The guide book is another of those amusing literal translations and I have deliberately garnered the more interesting bits for these web pages!

The sanctuary church didn't allow visitors to take photos inside ...so I turned the flash gun off and took some anyway! The church is one of those places that sick people taken to in the hope of a cure. Statistically, somebody is bound to get better eventually. I didn't see anyone get out of their wheelchair and start leaping about!