La Jana, how and where to visit the Castellón Museum of Ancient Olive Trees

One of the great surprises I had during one of my last trips through the Valencian Community has been to discover the existence of a natural museum very original.

The specific objectives of the Museum of Millennial Olive Trees What is there in Jana, In province of Castellón.

Just 25 kilometers from VinarosTowards the interior, there is an area of olive fields which has been enabled as a museum, with the purpose of being able to see with adequate information some impressive ancient olive trees.

What and how are ancient olive trees?

Butwhat are ancient olive trees?

Until this curious visit I did not know what they are called ancient olive trees those that have, at least, 3,50 meters of trunk perimeter, measured at a height of 1,30 meters.

It is estimated that each meter of perimeter represents 200 years of olive tree age.

Where are the ancient olive trees of La Jana

This area of Jana is located in the so-called Senia Territory which extends on both banks of the river of the same name, in just over 2.000 square kilometers, in the area where Catalonia, Aragon and the Valencian Community meet.

This territory covers 27 towns, including, among others, on the coast, San Carlos de la Rápita, Vinaroz and Benicarló, and in the interior, La Senia, La Pobla de Benifassá, Vallderrobres or Morella.

The Phoenicians and then the Romans already passed through this region, although it was the Muslims who began to plant olive trees.

Currently, more than 4.700 olive trees with a perimeter of more than 3,50 meters have been censused.

But it is precisely in the municipal area of Jana where they concentrate 966 trees of these characteristics, which makes it the area with largest concentration of ancient olive trees in the world.

And specifically, in full Roman Via Augusta, there is a farm of less than one hectare in area where they are 21 ancient olive trees of the variety Farga.

How to visit the La Jana Museum of Ancient Olive Trees: our experience

El Museum of Millennial Olive Trees of La Jana It is the result of having enabled said property to be visitable.

To this end, a marked route has been established with various information panels, which you can see from a nearby vacant lot used as a parking lot.

Specific The nine most unique olive trees are marked, among which the one known as Farga del Pou del Mas, which has almost 8 trunk perimeters (1.600 years old!!)

Of course, prior to this project natural museum, lead by Jaime AntichAn agreement was reached with the area's farmers to stop selling these impressive trees and thus preserve them, as they were gradually disappearing from the region.

At present, olives from ancient olive trees are paid at a subsidized price by the Ministry of Environment and Environment.

They are collected and used by eight olive oil producing mills to obtain the so-called extra virgin oil from ancient olive trees.

This high quality oil, whose price for a half-liter bottle is around 15 euros, is sold in stores gourmets from Madrid and Barcelona.

It is also exported to countries such as China, Japan, the United States, and Dubai, where it can fetch up to 95 euros.

Map: how to get to La Jana

El Museum of Millenary Olive Trees It is located about 25 kilometers from Vinaroz, inland, just after passing the town of the same name.

Photos Millenary Olive Trees Museum La Jana

Here you have more photos of the Millenary Olive Trees museum of La Jana, in the interior of the province of Castellón.