Sierra Nevada (Spain)

Deep in Spain, there’s a super tall mountain range called Sierra Nevada. Its name means 'snowy mountains' because the tops are often covered in white snow, even when it's warm down below! These mountains are so high, they are like giant steps reaching for the sky. They are part of a country called Spain, in a sunny place called Andalusia.

Guess what? You can go skiing in Sierra Nevada, even though it’s close to the super sunny Mediterranean Sea! It’s one of the most southern places in Europe where you can ski. The snow on the high peaks is perfect for sliding down on skis. It’s like having a winter wonderland right next to a summer beach!

The very highest point in all of mainland Spain is in Sierra Nevada. It’s called Mulhacén, and it’s a whopping 3,479 meters (that’s over 11,000 feet!) tall. To imagine how tall that is, it’s taller than 100 school buses stacked on top of each other! It’s a truly gigantic mountain.

High up on the sides of these mountains, scientists have built special places to look at the stars and space. These are called observatories. They have giant telescopes that can see far, far away. It’s a perfect spot because the air is clear and high up, away from city lights. It helps us learn more about our amazing universe.