Inhóspitak: the giant of Peñarroya de Tastavins

In Peñarroya de Tastavins, a municipality bordering the provinces of Tarragona and Castellón, the first home of Territorio Dinópolis was established, offering a leisure-and-science experience in line with Dinópolis Teruel.

In 1997, in this municipality, excavations led to the discovery of the partially articulated remains of the largest and most complete sauropod ever found in Spain, and one of the most complete Aptian sauropods in the world, which lived approximately 110 million years ago. The remains of this adult dinosaur reached the sea and, over time, were colonised by marine vertebrates and finally became buried under the sediments.

The find originated three years earlier when two palaeontology enthusiasts, brothers Pedro and Andrés Ortiz, discovered two femurs and several vertebral bodies of the dinosaur. It was they who contacted the Government of Aragon and provided the palaeontologists with the exact location of the site.

The skeleton of the dinosaur found in Peñarroya de Tastavins is exceptional, as it represents a complete adult sauropod, meaning it had reached full maturity. This is evidenced by the fusion of the neural arches to the vertebrae, a characteristic feature of adult dinosaurs. Sauropods were a group of herbivorous dinosaurs characterised by their great size and long necks, and are known for being some of the largest dinosaurs that ever existed. The discovery of a complete sauropod in Peñarroya de Tastavins provides valuable information for palaeontology and our understanding of the lives of these impressive animals in the past.

The unique dinosaur species found in the province and the exceptionally well-preserved fossils are the main focus of the exhibition at Territorio Dinópolis. Visitors can also learn how fossils are excavated, how they are restored and the classification techniques used by scientists.

Thanks to this process, it is now known that this dinosaur could reach a length of up to 17 metres and, despite its great weight, was capable of rearing up on its hind legs to reach the leaves of the tallest trees.

The original fossils, together with a complete replica of the dinosaur built by the palaeontologists of Dinópolis, are the most outstanding pieces in the exhibition at Inhóspitak. Visitors can also enjoy screenings and an outdoor area designed for families to relax.

Dinópolis is a theme park dedicated to the world of dinosaurs and palaeontology that combines science and leisure, located in Teruel capital. In addition to this main park, it has 7 other venues located in various localities in the province of Teruel where internationally significant palaeontological finds have been made, as is the case with its venue in the locality of Peñarroya de Tastavins, 'Inhóspitak'. At this venue, you can discover the original bones of a large sauropod (a long-tailed and long-necked dinosaur) found in that locality, named Tastavinsaurus sanzi, which lived more than 100 million years ago, and whose impressive 17 m replica in a bipedal position is on display in the central hall of this Territorio Dinópolis centre.