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Guardiola de Berguedà is a
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Riutort asphalt mine () was exploited by the Riutort Mining Company, which was owned by the Frenchmen Jules Claviez and Philipp Petit. They extracted bituminous loam and transported this on mules to the distillation factory, where petrol was extracted from the asphalt.
A few years after being set-up, the mine closed because of insufficient production. It is open to the public in guided groups, which descend approximately 340 metres into its depths, to see its extensive galleries, which still drip petroleum from the rock walls and experience the strong smell associated with fossil fuels. It is one of the few underground petroleum mines in the world, an exceptional historical curiosity from the industrial revolution in Berguedà . In order to preserve and protect its wealth of fauna (Pyrenean newts, salamanders and bats), some parts of the mining installations have been excluded from the tourist access.www.minadepetroli.com
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Official website
Government data pages
Municipalities in Berguedà {{Barcelona-geo-stub
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in the ''comarca'' of the BerguedÃ
Berguedà () is an inland comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain, lying partly in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, and partly in the Catalan Central Depression.
Geography
The northern half of Berguedà , known as Alt Berguedà (“Upper Berguedà †...
in 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 nort ...
. It is situated at the confluence of the Bastareny and Llobregat
The Llobregat () is the second longest river in Catalonia, Spain, after the Ter. It flows into the Mediterranean south of the city of Barcelona. Its name could have originated in an ancient Latin word meaning 'dark', 'sorrowful' or 'muddy', or ...
rivers in the north of the ''comarca''. It is an important local commercial centre, and for this reason has been less affected by depopulation than other municipalities in the Berguedà . The extraction of lignite is also important to the local economy. The town is served by the C-1411 road from Berga
Berga () is the capital of the ''comarca'' (county) of Berguedà , in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is bordered by the municipalities of Cercs, Olvan, Avià , Capolat and Castellar del Riu.
History
Berga derives its name f ...
to the Cadà tunnel, and is linked to La Pobla de Lillet and Castellar de n'Hug by the B-402 road. The municipality includes a large exclave to the north-west.
Riutort asphalt mine
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Riutort asphalt mine () was exploited by the Riutort Mining Company, which was owned by the Frenchmen Jules Claviez and Philipp Petit. They extracted bituminous loam and transported this on mules to the distillation factory, where petrol was extracted from the asphalt.
A few years after being set-up, the mine closed because of insufficient production. It is open to the public in guided groups, which descend approximately 340 metres into its depths, to see its extensive galleries, which still drip petroleum from the rock walls and experience the strong smell associated with fossil fuels. It is one of the few underground petroleum mines in the world, an exceptional historical curiosity from the industrial revolution in Berguedà . In order to preserve and protect its wealth of fauna (Pyrenean newts, salamanders and bats), some parts of the mining installations have been excluded from the tourist access./ref>
Demography
References
* Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). ''Guia de Catalunya'', Barcelona: Caixa de Catalunya. (Spanish). (Catalan).External links
Official website
Government data pages
Municipalities in Berguedà {{Barcelona-geo-stub