Michel Benicar

Michiel Benicar (c. 1567-1606) was a Brunanter priest, botanist and explorer. Benicar was born to a wealthy family of Valencian origins; his father Lodewick was a city official and businessman. Benicar became a priest in the 1580s.

Benicar was the first person to map and explore Benicar Lake, which now bears his name. Being a keen botanist, he documented many plants and trees of the area. He was one of the earliest mountaineers, having explored the 1394m Bosberg in 1593, though it is unclear if he was set on climbing it.