The Picos de Europa mountains extend to the north of the Cantabrian mountain range with an approximate surface of 500 km2, and its dimensions are more or less, 35 km east to west and, 15 km north to south. On the 22nd of July 1918, Don Pedro Pidal, marquis of Villaviciosa, managed to give free way to the first of the Spanish laws which appeared on National Parks, approving therefore the National Park "Montaņa de Covadonga"; first National Park in Spain, with a surface area of 16,925 hectares. More than seventy years had to pass so that a new law, enlarging the National Park established limits, was approved by Parliament. On the 30th of May of 1995 the National Park of "Picos de Europa" was declared; embracing an extension of 64,660 hectares, converting it not only in the largest National Park in Spain, but also in Europe.