Gorbea
Encyclopedia
Gorbea or Gorbeia is a mountain and massif
, the highest in Biscay
and Alava
(Basque Country
, Spain
), with a height of 1,481 m AMSL. The massif covers a wide area between the two provinces. The main mountain is a round grass-covered summit where a 20-metre-tall metallic cross has been constructed to reach the altitude of 1,500 m. Other important mountains of the massif are the Berretín (1,227 m), Lekanda (1,301 m) and Aldamin (1,376 m) limestone
peaks.
Part of the massif is delimited North by the high karstic plateau
of Itxina, an intrincate landscape of limestone full of shafts and caves such as Supelegor. The Atxular's Eye cave is the only walking access to the plateau.
The South is delimited by the Berretín mountain and the lush forests of Zuia
The entire massif has been enclosed in a natural park of 200 km² created by the Basque Government in 1994 to preserve the local flora of beech
and oak
and fauna of wild boar
and deer
. The main access points for the mountain are Murgia
from Alava and Areatza
from Biscay.
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
, the highest in Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
and Alava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
(Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
, 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...
), with a height of 1,481 m AMSL. The massif covers a wide area between the two provinces. The main mountain is a round grass-covered summit where a 20-metre-tall metallic cross has been constructed to reach the altitude of 1,500 m. Other important mountains of the massif are the Berretín (1,227 m), Lekanda (1,301 m) and Aldamin (1,376 m) limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
peaks.
Part of the massif is delimited North by the high karstic plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
of Itxina, an intrincate landscape of limestone full of shafts and caves such as Supelegor. The Atxular's Eye cave is the only walking access to the plateau.
The South is delimited by the Berretín mountain and the lush forests of Zuia
The entire massif has been enclosed in a natural park of 200 km² created by the Basque Government in 1994 to preserve the local flora of beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
and oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and fauna of wild boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
and deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
. The main access points for the mountain are Murgia
Murgia
Murgia is a sub-region of Apulia in southern Italy, corresponding to a karst topographic plateau of rectangular shape, occupying the central area of the region. The name stems from the Latin murex, meaning "sharp stone"....
from Alava and Areatza
Areatza
Areatza is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:*...
from Biscay.