Queen Sofía of Spain has carried out a rare public engagement when she travelled to the Burgos area to visit the Sierra de Atapuerca archaeological site. 

The evening before the visit, King Felipe’s mother had attended a concert to celebrate the Atapuerca Foundation’s 25th anniversary. The musical exhibition took place in the space in front of the entrance to the archaeological site and was offered by the Castilla and Leon Youth Symphony Orchestra, which played several pieces, including Brahms’ 2nd Symphony and Strauss’ “So Spoke Zarathustra”.

On Thursday, 18th July 2024, Queen Sofia arrived at the excavation site, where she was welcomed by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Research, as well as the President and Vice Presidents of the Atapuerca Foundation. 

Once inside, Queen Sofía was guided through a tour that included Cueva Mayor, Cueva Fantasma and Cueva Sima del Elefante – the latter two being the object of 2024’s excavation campaign. 

The Atapuerca archaeological site started gaining its importance in the 1990s, after the discovery of human remains that ended up determining the existence of another species of archaic human, the homo antecessor.

Since then, a Foundation and a Research Team have been put together, and more than 40 excavation campaigns have been carried out, resulting in several discoveries that have altered the knowledge we have of the history of human evolution. 

Not only does 2024 mark thee 30th anniversary of the discovery of the remains that turned out to be of a new species of archaic human, but it is also the 25th anniversary of the Foundation that was created to preserve implement research activities at the site. 

To mark the occasion, the Atapuerca Foundation has established a cooperation agreement that resulted in the creation of the lab that is included in the Emiliano Aguirre Research Centre. The lab “will play a crucial role in scientific research and the popularisation of knowledge about human evolution, as well as the conservation and protection of the cultural patrimony represented by Atapuerca” according to the Foundation’s official website. 

This was a rare public engagement for Queen Sofía, whom, at 85, has been significantly reducing her agenda, not only to leave the spotlight to her growing granddaughters Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía, but also to take care of her family, especially her younger sister Princess Irene, who never married and didn’t have any children.