CUEVAS DE

VERA  , a town of south-eastern Spain, in the province of Almeria; on the right bank of the river Almanzora, 8 m . W. of the Mediterranean Sea . Pop . (1900) 20,562 . Cuevas de Vera is built at the eastern extremity of the Sierra de los Filabres (6823 ft.), which isolate it from the railway system of Almeria . It is, however, the chief market for the rich agricultural districts towards the south and for the argentiferous lead and. other mines among the mountains . In appearance it is modern, with wide streets, two fine squares, and a parish church in Doric style, dating from 1758 . But in reality the town is of considerable antiquity . One of the towers in the Moorish palace owned by the marquesses of Villafranca is probably of Roman origin .