In addition to the actual sites, three other areas can now be visited. Together, they form a single unit: “Atapuerca System, Culture of Evolution” (SACE).
SACE is an administrative system under the auspices of the Government of Castilla y Leon's Culture and Tourism Ministry. It was set up to ensure the integrated management and collaboration of the various centres, facilities, services and departments, and to highlight, exploit and enrich the cultural and scientific resources associated with the Sierra de Atapuerca archaeo-palaeontological sites.
The Sierra de Atapuerca sites are a unique location for the study of human evolution, as acknowledged by UNESCO in its declaration of this World Heritage Site on 30 November 2000, and the Government of Castilla y León when it declared the Atapuerca Cultural Space in 2007. In addition, Europe's most popular pilgrimage route, St. James Way or Camino de Santiago, runs through this area. It was also included in the World Heritage list in 1993.