Garraf Massif
Encyclopedia
The Garraf Massif is a mountain range of the Catalan Coastal Range
, Catalonia
, Spain
. Its cliffs reach the Mediterranean waters. Its highest point on the coastal side is La Morella
, 593 metres above sea level and further inland rises the higher, although less conspicuous, Montau
(657 m).
The Garraf Massif gives its name to the Garraf
comarca, as well as to the little seashore village of Garraf
. It is located south of Barcelona
, between the coastal towns of Castelldefels
and Sitges
. highways C-31 and C-32, as well as the RENFE
Barcelona-Valencia railway line go through the shoreline side of the Garraf Massif. The small town of Olivella
, Plana Novella
with its Buddhist monastery, as well as the abandoned village of Jafra are located in the middle of the massif, in the Natural Park area.
This coastal calcareous
mountain range is sparsely wooded, and has many rocky denuded areas. The main vegetation is maquis shrubland
and the Mediterranean Fan Palm is an endemic species of these mountains. It has over 400 karstic shafts and cave
s, including La Falconera, a very large cave with an underground lake that is now heavily polluted.
by the Catalan Government, there are many seriously degraded areas throughout the massif. These include quarries
and vast rubbish dumps that are very active and keep degrading the mountains and polluting their karstic underground lakes and rivers. Over 23 million tons of garbage have accumulated in the Vall d'en Joan landfill only.
Urbanization
has covered different zones of the range, especially in locations close to Sitges, as well as on the Castelldefels side. There the mountain sides are covered with mostly bungalows or small houses, especially in the seafront areas.
Catalan Coastal Range
The Catalan Coastal Range is a system of mountain ranges running parallel to the Mediterranean Sea coast in Catalonia. It is part of the Catalan Mediterranean System. Its main axis runs between the Foix River and the Roses Gulf and the average altitude is around 500 m...
, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Its cliffs reach the Mediterranean waters. Its highest point on the coastal side is La Morella
La Morella
La Morella or Morella is a mountain located in Begues municipality, Catalonia, Spain. It has an altitude of 593 metres above sea level.It is the second highest point of the Garraf Massif, Catalan Coastal Range.-The Morella wind:...
, 593 metres above sea level and further inland rises the higher, although less conspicuous, Montau
Montau (mountain)
Montau is a mountain located in the municipal terms of Olesa de Bonesvalls and Begues , Catalonia, Spain. It has an altitude of 657 metres above sea level....
(657 m).
The Garraf Massif gives its name to the Garraf
Garraf
Garraf is a comarca in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, northern Spain.It is named after the Garraf Massif.-Municipalities:*Canyelles - pop. 3,127*Cubelles - pop. 10,617*Olivella - pop. 2,179*Sant Pere de Ribes - pop. 26,108...
comarca, as well as to the little seashore village of Garraf
Garraf (Sitges)
Garraf is a small seaside village located between Sitges and Castelldefels, in the Garraf comarca, Catalonia, Spain, surrounded by the area of the Garraf Natural Park.-Description:...
. It is located south of Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, between the coastal towns of Castelldefels
Castelldefels
Castelldefels is a town in the Baix Llobregat comarca, in the province of Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain and part of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. Its population is 63.151 .-Geography and location:...
and Sitges
Sitges
*Church of Sant Bartolomeu i Santa Tecla . It houses two Gothic sepulchres , belonging to the an older church located on the same site...
. highways C-31 and C-32, as well as the RENFE
RENFE
Renfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...
Barcelona-Valencia railway line go through the shoreline side of the Garraf Massif. The small town of Olivella
Olivella
Olivella is a village and municipality in Catalonia, in the province of Barcelona, Spain. It is situated in the comarca of Garraf.-History:The first known village in the area was founded in 992 around a castle known as Castell vell...
, Plana Novella
Plana novella
Plana Novella is an old country estate and village located on a small plain in the middle of the Garraf Massif, National Park, about three kilometers to the east of Jafra and within the municipal boundary of the town of Olivella, Spain. It is notable for being in an almost uninhabited rural area,...
with its Buddhist monastery, as well as the abandoned village of Jafra are located in the middle of the massif, in the Natural Park area.
This coastal calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
mountain range is sparsely wooded, and has many rocky denuded areas. The main vegetation is maquis shrubland
Maquis shrubland
thumb|220px|Low Maquis in Corsica.220px|thumb|High macchia in Sardinia.Maquis or macchia is a shrubland biome in the Mediterranean region, typically consisting of densely growing evergreen shrubs such as holm oak, tree heath, strawberry tree, sage, juniper, buckthorn, spurge olive and myrtle...
and the Mediterranean Fan Palm is an endemic species of these mountains. It has over 400 karstic shafts and cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s, including La Falconera, a very large cave with an underground lake that is now heavily polluted.
Ecology
Despite having been declared a Protected AreaProtected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
by the Catalan Government, there are many seriously degraded areas throughout the massif. These include quarries
Quarries
Quarries - The "Royal Quarries" — not found in Scripture — is the namegiven to the vast caverns stretching far underneath the northern hill, Bezetha, on which Jerusalem is built. Out of these mammoth caverns stones, a hard limestone, have been quarried in ancient times for the buildings in the...
and vast rubbish dumps that are very active and keep degrading the mountains and polluting their karstic underground lakes and rivers. Over 23 million tons of garbage have accumulated in the Vall d'en Joan landfill only.
Urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
has covered different zones of the range, especially in locations close to Sitges, as well as on the Castelldefels side. There the mountain sides are covered with mostly bungalows or small houses, especially in the seafront areas.
See also
- GarrafGarraf (Sitges)Garraf is a small seaside village located between Sitges and Castelldefels, in the Garraf comarca, Catalonia, Spain, surrounded by the area of the Garraf Natural Park.-Description:...
, a seaside villge - Vallcarca, a limestone quarry complex with a now abandoned settlement in the Garraf Massif
- OlèrdolaOlèrdolaOlèrdola is a municipality in the comarca of the Alt Penedès in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the northern side of the Garraf massif, and the highest point of the municipality is the Puig de l'Àliga at 468 m....
- Plana NovellaPlana novellaPlana Novella is an old country estate and village located on a small plain in the middle of the Garraf Massif, National Park, about three kilometers to the east of Jafra and within the municipal boundary of the town of Olivella, Spain. It is notable for being in an almost uninhabited rural area,...
- Catalan Coastal RangeCatalan Coastal RangeThe Catalan Coastal Range is a system of mountain ranges running parallel to the Mediterranean Sea coast in Catalonia. It is part of the Catalan Mediterranean System. Its main axis runs between the Foix River and the Roses Gulf and the average altitude is around 500 m...
- Mountains of CataloniaMountains of CataloniaThis is a list of mountains in Catalonia, Spain....