Cardó Massif

Coordinates: 40°54′02″N 0°35′36″E / 40.90056°N 0.59333°E / 40.90056; 0.59333
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Cardó Massif
Serra de Cardó mountain range seen from the south near Benifallet
Highest point
Elevation942 m (3,091 ft)
Coordinates40°54′02″N 0°35′36″E / 40.90056°N 0.59333°E / 40.90056; 0.59333
Dimensions
Area340 km2 (130 sq mi)
Geography
Cardó Massif is located in Province of Tarragona
Cardó Massif
Cardó Massif
Catalonia, Spain
Cardó Massif is located in Catalonia
Cardó Massif
Cardó Massif
Cardó Massif (Catalonia)
LocationBaix Ebre, Catalonia,
Spain
Parent rangeCatalan Pre-Coastal Range
Geology
Mountain typeMostly Calcareous
Climbing
First ascentunknown
Easiest routeDrive from Rasquera or El Perelló

The Cardó Massif (Catalan: Massís de Cardó, IPA: [məˈsiz ðə kəɾˈðo]; Spanish: Macizo de Cardó), also known as Cardó-Boix Massif, is a mountain massif in the Baix Ebre comarca, in Catalonia, Spain. This massif is composed of a number of mountain ranges located on the left side of the Ebro river near Tortosa. The massive calcareous cliffs of the Serra de Cardó form the eastern side of the spectacular gorges through which the Ebro River winds its way in the final stage of its course, separating the Ebro Valley from the Mediterranean coastal area.

The ranges cover an area of over 340 km2, extending from Rasquera in the north, to Benifallet in the south and eastwards through El Perelló until reaching the Mediterranean Sea between L'Ampolla and L'Ametlla de Mar. Highway N-340 crosses the eastern side of the massif and Autopista AP-7 skirts the easternmost foothills by the seashore.

All the ranges are part of the

Serra del Boix.[1]

Balma de Cabrafeixet is a prehistoric site below the Morral de Cabrafeixet escarpment (753 m) with cave paintings. The entrance to the cave has been closed with an iron bar door to prevent vandalism. Another cave, Cova de la Mallada, is located nearby[2]

There are many wind turbines located on different ridges of the massif, the Parc Eòlic de les Colladetes and the Parc Eòlic de les Calobres.[3]

Ranges

The main ranges of the massif are:

  • Les Moles area: La Buinaca on the left and the Cabrafeixet on the right, seen from the north between El Perelló and Rasquera
    Les Moles area:
    Cabrafeixet on the right, seen from the north between El Perelló and Rasquera
  • View of 942 m high Xàquera or La Creu de Santos, the highest summit of the range
    View of 942 m high
    Xàquera
    or La Creu de Santos, the highest summit of the range
  • Font del Teix spring in Serra de Cardó
    Font del Teix spring in Serra de Cardó
  • Montaspre in the Cardó Massif
    Montaspre in the Cardó Massif
  • View of the Serra del Boix/Serra de Gaviots mountain ranges from the south with some snow on the higher altitudes
    View of the Serra del Boix/Serra de Gaviots mountain ranges from the south with some snow on the higher altitudes
  • Wind farms on Serra de Gaviots
    Wind farms on Serra de Gaviots
  • Serra de Collredó range seen from an orange grove in Mianes
    Serra de Collredó range seen from an orange grove in Mianes
  • Serra de Collredó seen from the east. In the background the Ports de Beseit
    Serra de Collredó seen from the east. In the background the
    Ports de Beseit
  • Sand mining in Serra de les Veles
    Sand mining in Serra de les Veles

Monastery

Present state of the ruined Monastery/Spa
One of the many ruined hermitages near the ancient Cardó Monastery in the range
Ruined hermitage perched atop a rock needle in Vall de Cardó

The

Isabella II of Spain's rule. The Desamortización or secularization of the place brought monastic life in the monastery, and the many hermitages
surrounding it, to an end. The monastery can be reached by a paved road from Rasquera.

In the late 19th century the monastery was transformed into a spa, which became a very successful place among the Catalan elite until the Spanish Civil War. By mid 20th century, only a water bottling plant was functional in the area.

Recently there was a project to transform the ruined former monastery and spa premises into a

current financial crisis in Spain thwarted the plans.[6]
Access is not allowed to the grounds of the former spa, but abandoned construction equipment can be seen from a distance among the half-ruined buildings.

The small abandoned hermitages scattered about the area close to the former monastery, some of them perching atop karstic rock needles, are popular with hikers.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Mapa Topogràfic de Catalunya - Institut Cartogràfic de Catalunya
  2. ^ enciclopèdia.cat - Morral de Cabrafeixet
  3. ^ Parc Eòlic de Les Colladetes
  4. ^ Estudio comparativo de las aguas minerales naturales de España
  5. ^ "Tortosa Medi Ambient -Pla d'ordenació urbanística municipal" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2011-04-24.
  6. ^ El balneario de Cardó se convertirá en hotel de lujo tras una inversión de 45 M€
  7. ^ Tinet - La Vall de Cardó,; Images

External links