The Cardó Massif (Catalan: Massís de Cardó, IPA:[məˈsizðəkəɾˈðo]; 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.
Cardó Massif
Serra de Cardó mountain range seen from the south near Benifallet
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]
Serra de Cardó, the westernmost range and also the highest. It is often covered with snow in the winter. The vegetation of eastern slopes is largely low Mediterranean shrub, while its western side, below the jagged peaks, is forested. Autovia C-12 cuts across the westernmost end of the range, above the Ebro Gorges. The mineral water coming from springs near the ancient monastery located at the heart of the range was one of the first waters to be bottled in Spain.[4]
Serra del Boix, highest point Buinaca 764 m. The slopes are covered with low bush, among which Buxus (Catalan: Boix) predominates. This range occupies a central position in the massif and in some geographical works gives its name to the whole massif. The particular high rocky area with original rock formations where the highest peaks are located is known as "Les Moles". There are wind turbines atop the main eastern ridge.
Serra de Gaviots, highest point 603 m. This largely deforested range also occupies a central position, but has smoother and less rocky crests than the ones above. There is also a very large wind farm along the ridge.[5] Like the Serra del Boix, the higher altitudes often have snow in the winter.
Montaspre, highest point 527 m, the southwestern foothills of the Serra de Cardó range, rising near Bítem.
Serra de Collredó, highest point Creu de Collredó 380 m, rounded hills covered by olive trees and Mediterranean forest where many small country cottages have been recently developed.
Serra de les Veles, highest point Coll de l'Àliga 94 m, is formed by the low southernmost foothills of the massif. This small range is crossed by highways and has been gutted by sand and gravel extraction, where the pits are used as landfills. These lower ranges very rarely have snow, even in cold winters.
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
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
Wind farms on Serra de Gaviots
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
Sand mining in Serra de les Veles
Monasteryedit
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 Cardó Monastery, also known as Sant Hilari de Cardó or Desert de Cardó, was a large monastery located in the Cardó Valley (Vall de Cardó), a deep valley in these mountains. It was closed down due to the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal in 1835 during 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 luxury resort, but the 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]
cardó, massif, catalan, massís, cardó, məˈsiz, ðə, kəɾˈðo, spanish, macizo, cardó, also, known, cardó, boix, massif, mountain, massif, baix, ebre, comarca, catalonia, spain, this, massif, composed, number, mountain, ranges, located, left, side, ebro, river, ne. The Cardo Massif Catalan Massis de Cardo IPA meˈsiz de keɾˈdo Spanish Macizo de Cardo also known as Cardo 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 Cardo 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 Cardo MassifSerra de Cardo mountain range seen from the south near BenifalletHighest pointElevation942 m 3 091 ft Coordinates40 54 02 N 0 35 36 E 40 90056 N 0 59333 E 40 90056 0 59333DimensionsArea340 km2 130 sq mi GeographyCardo MassifCatalonia SpainShow map of Province of TarragonaCardo MassifCardo Massif Catalonia Show map of CataloniaLocationBaix Ebre Catalonia SpainParent rangeCatalan Pre Coastal RangeGeologyMountain typeMostly CalcareousClimbingFirst ascentunknownEasiest routeDrive from Rasquera or El PerelloThe ranges cover an area of over 340 km2 extending from Rasquera in the north to Benifallet in the south and eastwards through El Perello 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 Catalan Pre Coastal Range The main peak is Xaquera also known as La Creu de Santos 942 m in the Serra de Cardo another important summit is Buinaca 764 m located in 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 Eolic de les Colladetes and the Parc Eolic de les Calobres 3 Contents 1 Ranges 2 Monastery 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksRanges editThe main ranges of the massif are Serra de Cardo the westernmost range and also the highest It is often covered with snow in the winter The vegetation of eastern slopes is largely low Mediterranean shrub while its western side below the jagged peaks is forested Autovia C 12 cuts across the westernmost end of the range above the Ebro Gorges The mineral water coming from springs near the ancient monastery located at the heart of the range was one of the first waters to be bottled in Spain 4 Serra del Boix highest point Buinaca 764 m The slopes are covered with low bush among which Buxus Catalan Boix predominates This range occupies a central position in the massif and in some geographical works gives its name to the whole massif The particular high rocky area with original rock formations where the highest peaks are located is known as Les Moles There are wind turbines atop the main eastern ridge Serra de Gaviots highest point 603 m This largely deforested range also occupies a central position but has smoother and less rocky crests than the ones above There is also a very large wind farm along the ridge 5 Like the Serra del Boix the higher altitudes often have snow in the winter Montaspre highest point 527 m the southwestern foothills of the Serra de Cardo range rising near Bitem Serra de Collredo highest point Creu de Collredo 380 m rounded hills covered by olive trees and Mediterranean forest where many small country cottages have been recently developed Serra de les Veles highest point Coll de l Aliga 94 m is formed by the low southernmost foothills of the massif This small range is crossed by highways and has been gutted by sand and gravel extraction where the pits are used as landfills These lower ranges very rarely have snow even in cold winters nbsp Les Moles area La Buinaca on the left and the Cabrafeixet on the right seen from the north between El Perello and Rasquera nbsp View of 942 m high Xaquera or La Creu de Santos the highest summit of the range nbsp Font del Teix spring in Serra de Cardo nbsp Montaspre in the Cardo Massif nbsp View of the Serra del Boix Serra de Gaviots mountain ranges from the south with some snow on the higher altitudes nbsp Wind farms on Serra de Gaviots nbsp Serra de Collredo range seen from an orange grove in Mianes nbsp Serra de Collredo seen from the east In the background the Ports de Beseit nbsp Sand mining in Serra de les VelesMonastery edit nbsp Present state of the ruined Monastery Spa nbsp One of the many ruined hermitages near the ancient Cardo Monastery in the range nbsp Ruined hermitage perched atop a rock needle in Vall de Cardo The Cardo Monastery also known as Sant Hilari de Cardo or Desert de Cardo was a large monastery located in the Cardo Valley Vall de Cardo a deep valley in these mountains It was closed down due to the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizabal in 1835 during Isabella II of Spain s rule The Desamortizacion 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 luxury resort but the 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 editCatalan Pre Coastal Range Mountains of CataloniaReferences edit Mapa Topografic de Catalunya Institut Cartografic de Catalunya enciclopedia cat Morral de Cabrafeixet Parc Eolic de Les Colladetes Estudio comparativo de las aguas minerales naturales de Espana Tortosa Medi Ambient Pla d ordenacio urbanistica municipal PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2016 03 03 Retrieved 2011 04 24 El balneario de Cardo se convertira en hotel de lujo tras una inversion de 45 M Tinet La Vall de Cardo ImagesExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cardo Massif Camino Natural del Ebro permanent dead link in Spanish Balneario de Cardo El Cabrafeixet Top Kayak De Miravet a Benifallet Kayaking in the Ebro Gorges Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cardo Massif amp oldid 1109162361, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
