Serra d'Irta
Encyclopedia
Serra d'Irta (ˈsɛra ˈðiɾta) is a 18.8 km long mountain range in the Baix Maestrat
comarca, Valencian Community
, Spain
. Its highest point is Pic Campanilles (573 m).
plain, its northern limit. It is located right by the Mediterranean coastline, rising on the eastern side of the road between Barcelona
and Valencia.
Its southern limit is near Alcossebre
.
This mountain range is covered with Maquis shrubland
, including Juniperus oxycedrus
, Calicotome spinosa
, Pistacia lentiscus and Anthyllis cytisoides
shrub
s. Some of the lower slopes facing inland are planted with olive
, almond
and carob tree
s. In spite of the mountain area having been officially declared a Natural Park, there has been heavy urbanization
on the slopes of the mountain having a sea view towards the northern end of the range next to Peníscola
. There are castles and watchtower
s of Moorish times on peaks of the Serra d'Irta both east of Santa Magdalena de Polpís
and of Alcalà de Xivert
.
The most important watchtower is Torre Badum.
and caves. It is a southern prolongation of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range
that formed 25 million years ago as part of the Alpine orogeny
.
Geologically the section formed by the Serra d'Irta - Santa Magdalena de Polpís/Alcalà de Xivert Valley - Talaies d'Alcalà
is very similar to the section formed by the Serra del Montsià
- Ulldecona
/Freginals
Valley - Serra de Godall further north. These sets of parallel mountain ranges and valleys form the transition between the Catalan Mediterranean System
and the Iberian System
.
Baix Maestrat
Baix Maestrat is a comarca in the province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Spain.- Municipalities :*Alcalà de Xivert*Benicarló*Càlig*Canet lo Roig*Castell de Cabres*Cervera del Maestre*Chert/Xert*La Jana*Peñíscola*La Pobla de Benifassà...
comarca, Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
, 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 highest point is Pic Campanilles (573 m).
Location
The Serra d'Irta stretches in a NE - SW direction south of the VinaròsVinaròs
Vinaròs is a town and municipality in eastern Spain, in the province of Castelló and part of the autonomous Valencian Community. The town is on the Gulf of Valencia coast of the western Mediterranean Sea, Vinaròs is a fishing harbour and tourist destination....
plain, its northern limit. It is located right by the Mediterranean coastline, rising on the eastern side of the road between 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...
and Valencia.
Its southern limit is near Alcossebre
Alcossebre
Alcossebre is a seaside village in the Valencian Community located on the Costa del Azahar along the eastern Mediterranean coast of Spain in the province of Castelló...
.
This mountain range is covered with 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...
, including Juniperus oxycedrus
Juniperus oxycedrus
Juniperus oxycedrus is a species of juniper, native across the Mediterranean region from Morocco and Portugal, north to southern France, east to westernmost Iran, and south to Lebanon and Israel, growing on a variety of rocky sites from sea level up...
, Calicotome spinosa
Calicotome spinosa
Calicotome spinosa is a very spiny, densely-branched shrub of the legume family Fabaceae which can reach up to three metres in height. It grows in the Western Mediterranean region on sunny slopes and dry, rocky ground. It is found in Spain, France, Italy, Croatia and Algeria and has been...
, Pistacia lentiscus and Anthyllis cytisoides
Anthyllis cytisoides
Anthyllis cytisoides is a summer-deciduous shrub of Southern Europe, common in the Balearic Islands and the southeastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It prefers semi-arid limestone soils in areas free of frost the year round.-External links:* *...
shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s. Some of the lower slopes facing inland are planted with olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
, almond
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
and carob tree
Carob tree
Ceratonia siliqua, commonly known as the Carob tree and St John's-bread, is a species of flowering evergreen shrub or tree in the pea family, Fabaceae...
s. In spite of the mountain area having been officially declared a Natural Park, there has been heavy 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....
on the slopes of the mountain having a sea view towards the northern end of the range next to Peníscola
Peñíscola
Peníscola or Peñíscola is a municipality in the province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Spain. The town is located on the Costa del Azahar, north of the Serra d'Irta along the Mediterranean coast...
. There are castles and watchtower
Watchtower
A watchtower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military, and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to provide a high, safe place from which a sentinel or guard may...
s of Moorish times on peaks of the Serra d'Irta both east of Santa Magdalena de Polpís
Santa Magdalena de Polpís
Santa Magdalena de Polpís is a town and municipality in the Baix Maestrat comarca, province of Castelló, Valencian Community, Spain.The town is located inland in a flat valley between the two mountain ranges of Serra d'Irta and Serra de les Talaies...
and of Alcalà de Xivert
Alcalà de Xivert
Alcalà de Xivert is a town and municipality in the Baix Maestrat comarca, province of Castelló, Valencian Community, Spain.The main town is located inland in a flat valley between the two mountain ranges of Serra d'Irta and Serra de les Talaies...
.
The most important watchtower is Torre Badum.
Geology
The Serra d'Irta is a karstic formation with numerous shaftsShaft mining
Shaft mining or shaft sinking refers to the method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel from the top down, where there is initially no access to the bottom....
and caves. It is a southern prolongation of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range
Catalan Pre-Coastal Range
The Catalan Pre-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 Catalan Transversal Range and the Serra de l'Espina, which connects with the Ports de...
that formed 25 million years ago as part of the Alpine orogeny
Alpine orogeny
The Alpine orogeny is an orogenic phase in the Late Mesozoic and Tertiary that formed the mountain ranges of the Alpide belt...
.
Geologically the section formed by the Serra d'Irta - Santa Magdalena de Polpís/Alcalà de Xivert Valley - Talaies d'Alcalà
Talaies d'Alcalà
Talaies d'Alcalà , also known as Serra de les Talaies or simply Les Talaies, is a 21.5 km long mountain range in the Baix Maestrat comarca, Valencian Community, Spain. Its highest point is Talaia Grossa ....
is very similar to the section formed by the Serra del Montsià
Serra del Montsià
Serra del Montsià is a 14.5 km long mountain range in Catalonia. It gives its name to the Montsià, the southernmost comarca of Catalonia. Its highest point is 764 m high La Torreta....
- Ulldecona
Ulldecona
Ulldecona is a town in the South of Catalonia, in Montsià , near the Senia River. Ulldecona is part of the Taula del Sénia free association of municipalities....
/Freginals
Freginals
Freginals is a municipality in the comarca of Montsià inCatalonia, Spain.This picturesque town is located on a hill between the northern end of the Serra de Godall and the Serra del Montsià, not far from the forking of the roads between Tortosa, Ulldecona and Amposta...
Valley - Serra de Godall further north. These sets of parallel mountain ranges and valleys form the transition between the Catalan Mediterranean System
Catalan Mediterranean System
The Catalan Mediterranean System, also known as Mediterranean System, Transversal Ibero-Pyrenaean System and Catalanid Systemis a wide coastal geographical region in Catalonia...
and the Iberian System
Sistema Ibérico
The Sistema Ibérico or Iberian System is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain.It is a vast and complex system of mountain chains and massifs located in the central regions of the Iberian Peninsula, but reaching almost the Mediterranean coast in the Land of Valencia in the east.From...
.
See also
- Mountains of the Valencian Community
- Natural Park of Serra d'IrtaNatural Park of Serra d'IrtaThe Natural Park of Serra d'Irta is a natural park with 7,744 hectares of land, as well as a marine nature reserve. These mountain and shoreline areas were declared a protected area by the Valencian government on July 16, 2002....
, a protected area located in the range and the coastal area in front of it