The Garraf Massif ( ca, Massís del Garraf, ) 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).
Geography
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
Plana Novella ( ca, La 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 O ...
with its
Buddhist monastery, as well as the abandoned village of
Jafra are located in the middle of the massif, in th
Natural Park area
This coastal
calcareous mountain range is sparsely wooded, and has many rocky denuded areas. The main vegetation is
maquis shrubland
220px, Low maquis in Corsica
220px, High ''macchia'' in Sardinia
( , , ) or ( , ; often in Italian; hr, makija; ; ) is a shrubland biome in the Mediterranean region, typically consisting of densely growing evergreen shrubs.
Maquis is char ...
and the
Mediterranean Fan Palm is an endemic species of these mountains. It has over 400 karstic
shafts and
caves, including
La Falconera, a very large cave with an underground lake that is now heavily polluted.
Ecology
Despite having been declared a
Protected Area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
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 alone.
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.
[Xavier Bayer i Cisco Guasch, ''Paratges naturals: Massís del Garraf i conques de l’Anoia, del Foix i del Gaià'', ]
See also
*
Garraf, a seaside village
*
Vallcarca, a limestone quarry complex with a now abandoned settlement in the Garraf Massif
*
Olèrdola
*
Plana Novella
Plana Novella ( ca, La 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 O ...
*
Catalan Coastal Range
*
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
Bibliography
* Estanislau Vayreda, "Catàleg de la flòrula de la Mare de Déu del Mont", ''Treballs de la Institució Catalana d'Història Natural'', 1919–1920, pp. 360–442.
External links
{{Commons category, Massís del Garraf
GarrafL'acció antròpica sobre les Muntanyes de Garraf
Mountains of Catalonia
Garraf