Most Giant Turtle in The World

The giant tortoises of Ambassadors

Representation of several copies of “Cheirogaster bolivari” (giant tortoises)

Imagine that instead of one of the modern subway trains, their tunnels could be seen walking to a copy of Hispanotherium Matritense (Rhino Madrid), a Cheirogaster bolivari (giant turtle) or Amphicyon (Bear-dog) the predator Madrid Miocene important. The complex exercise of imagination, perhaps while waiting for the arrival of the Metro-served to uncover the mysteries of paleontology that hides the basement of the capital.

To complete the exercise would be moved to another day of 14 million years ago in the middle Miocene, eg Acacias station on line 5 Ambassadors. There he discovered the fossil remains of mastodons past, giant tortoises and bear-dog for the refurbishment of its lobby. Some of these remains, which formed at the time a full-blown tropical savanna, its value are the Regional Archaeological Museum of Madrid and the Museum of Natural Sciences of the capital.

But it is the only station where fossil remains have been found. Without doubt one of the most important findings occurred in the Metro Carpetana. In 2008, during a complete renovation in the lobby, archaeologists discovered more than a thousand macro vertebrate fossils, vertebrate and plants. Among the remains of giant tortoises and bear-dog, were found several Anchiterium, the first representative of the family of horses in the European Miocene, a little horse with three-toed hooves.
A Cultural Interest

In Madrid, the underground works are normally in or near areas including archaeological sites Historic Precinct of the City of Madrid and Terrazas del Manzanares, both areas declared of cultural interest since 1993. No work done in this environment has not offered a new field hidden in his basement. In 2006, the Principe Pio exchanged giant tortoises were found over a ton of weight and a complete skull of rhinoceros Madrid.

Together with these findings, the suburban and his works have brought to light in different parts of the capital specimens of pumas, wild boar, antelope, genet, and large predators such as the fearsome Amphicyon giantess, which harassed them most of them.
From the Romans to the Peral

In addition to fossils, Metro stations have brought to light important archaeological remains. Precisely at the station Acacias were discovered two sets of stones that probably were part of a hydraulic structure, or channeling the ravine of Ambassadors. According to archaeologists who discovered the quality of some of the granite stones may indicate its former membership of Ambassadors Portillo, an eighteenth century building led to the current roundabout Ambassadors.

In the Metro Eugenie. were even older remains of a Roman settlement. We found wheels to grind flour, baking ovens, tiles and several vessels.

In 2009 it was discovered nine meters underground, in the Plaza de Isabel II, during the renovation of the Opera Metro station one of the most important archaeological sites in the capital. Six months after starting work “emerged” from the past the great Source of Peral (XIII), an aqueduct of four meters (XV), and a brick sewer seventeenth century.