The Albera Massif ( ca, Serra de l'Albera) (french: Massif des Albères) is a
mountain range
A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...
located in the south of
Pyrénées-Orientales
Pyrénées-Orientales (; ca, Pirineus Orientals ; oc, Pirenèus Orientals ; ), also known as Northern Catalonia, is a department of the region of Occitania, Southern France, adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. ...
and the north of
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...
, between
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. It is the main easternmost prolongation of the
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
. Its highest peak is the
Puig Neulós, with an elevation of 1,256 metres.
Most of the southern side of the range is part of the
Paratge Natural d'Interès Nacional de l'Albera natural reserve. There are some ancient
megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. There are over 35,000 in Europe alone, located widely from Sweden to the Mediterranean sea.
The ...
s in the range.
Monuments megalítics de l'Albera
/ref> The Col du Perthus
The Col du Perthus (in Catalan: ''Coll de Pertús'') is a mountain pass of the Pyrenees on the France–Spain border, between the Pyrénées-Orientales in Languedoc-Roussillon, Midi-Pyrénées and the Province of Girona in Catalonia.
Rising to ...
marks the western boundary of the massif.
History
The Albera Range became the border between France and Spain following the Treaty of the Pyrenees
The Treaty of the Pyrenees (french: Traité des Pyrénées; es, Tratado de los Pirineos; ca, Tractat dels Pirineus) was signed on 7 November 1659 on Pheasant Island, and ended the Franco-Spanish War that had begun in 1635.
Negotiations were ...
, when Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV ( es, Felipe, pt, Filipe; 8 April 160517 September 1665), also called the Planet King (Spanish: ''Rey Planeta''), was King of Spain from 1621 to his death and (as Philip III) King of Portugal from 1621 to 1640. Philip is remembered f ...
ceded a part of the Spanish kingdom to Louis XIV of France
, house = Bourbon
, father = Louis XIII
, mother = Anne of Austria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
, death_date =
, death_place = Palace of Versa ...
, dividing Northern Catalonia
Northern Catalonia, North Catalonia, ; french: Catalogne (du) Nord ; oc, Catalonha (del) Nòrd; es, Cataluña (del) Norte) French Catalonia or Roussillon refers to the Catalan-speaking and Catalan-culture territory ceded to France by Spain ...
from Historical Catalonia.
Gallery
Massís de l'Albera (Alt Empordà) - 4.jpg, Albera Massif
Massís de l'Albera (Alt Empordà) - 2.jpg, Albera Massif
Massís de l'Albera (Alt Empordà) - 3.jpg, Albera Massif
Massís de l'Albera (Alt Empordà) - 1.jpg, Albera Massif
See also
*Treaty of the Pyrenees
The Treaty of the Pyrenees (french: Traité des Pyrénées; es, Tratado de los Pirineos; ca, Tractat dels Pirineus) was signed on 7 November 1659 on Pheasant Island, and ended the Franco-Spanish War that had begun in 1635.
Negotiations were ...
*Mountains of Catalonia
This is a list of mountains in Catalonia, Spain.
See also
*Montserrat
*List of mountains in Aragon
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mountains Of Catalonia
Catalonia
Mountains
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, ...
References
External links
Paratge Natural d'Interès Nacional de l'AlberaRequesens - Puig Neulós hiking routeManel Figuera i Abadal, ''50 ascensions fàcils pel Pirineu català'', Valls, Cossetània, 2008Centre de reproducció de tortugues de l'Albera
Mountain ranges of Catalonia
Pyrenees
Northeastern Spain and Southern France Mediterranean forests
{{Girona-geo-stub