Serra del Montsià
Encyclopedia
Serra del Montsià (ˈsɛrə ðəɫ munsiˈa, ˈsɛra ðeɫ monsiˈa) is a 14.5 km long mountain range in Catalonia
. It gives its name to the Montsià
, the southernmost comarca (county)
of Catalonia. Its highest point is 764 m high La Torreta.
The Serra del Montsià stretches in a NE - SW direction and lies south of the Ebre river, its northern limit. Relatively high and located right by the Mediterranean coastline, it is an important landmark in the region. Its southern limit is marked by the Sénia River
. The silhouette of the mountain range looks like a dragon
, especially seen from Santa Bàrbara
town.
There are many remains of Iberian
villages in some hills of this range. The small settlement of La Selleta was built by German
s on a hill below the Serra del Montsià in the last half of the 20th century.
. The lower slopes are planted with olive
, almond
and carob tree
s.
On the southeastern slope there is a large limestone
quarry
that has degraded
a vast area.
The Serra del Montsià marks the northernmost limit of the Iberian Ribbed Newt
distribution in the east of the Iberian Peninsula
.
and caves. Despite its seaside location it is part of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range
and formed 25 million years ago as part of the Alpine orogeny
.
Its highest point, la Torreta del Montsià, rises to a height of 764 m; even so, the Mola cima, with its triangular profile, looks like the highest peak from many angles around Ulldecona
, along the road between Barcelona
and Valencia.
Other important peaks are la Foradada
, located north of la Torreta, with magnificent views over the Ebre delta
, and the rocky Mata-redona.
Geologically the section formed by the Serra del Montsià - Ulldecona/Freginals
Valley - Serra de Godall is very similar to the section formed by the Talaies d'Alcalà
- Santa Magdalena de Polpís
/Alcalà de Xivert
Valley - Serra d'Irta
further south. These sets of parallel mountain ranges and valleys form the transition between the Catalan Mediterranean System
and the Iberian System
.
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
. It gives its name to the Montsià
Montsià
Montsià is the southernmost comarca of Catalonia in Spain. Its capital and largest city is Amposta.-History:The Montsià was first established as a separate administrative comarca in 1936 and was named after the Serra del Montsià mountain range...
, the southernmost comarca (county)
Comarques of Catalonia
This is a list of the comarques of Catalonia . A comarca is roughly equivalent to a US "county" or a UK "district". However, in the context of Catalonia, the term "county" can be a bit misleading, because in medieval Catalonia, the most important rulers were counts, notably the Counts of Barcelona...
of Catalonia. Its highest point is 764 m high La Torreta.
The Serra del Montsià stretches in a NE - SW direction and lies south of the Ebre river, its northern limit. Relatively high and located right by the Mediterranean coastline, it is an important landmark in the region. Its southern limit is marked by the Sénia River
Sénia River
The Sénia River is a river in the provinces of Castellón and Tarragona, Spain. It begins its course at 1,200 m in the Barranc del Salt, Ports de Beseit. limestone massif near La Pobla de Benifassà....
. The silhouette of the mountain range looks like a dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
, especially seen from Santa Bàrbara
Santa Bàrbara, Montsià
Santa Bàrbara is a municipality in the comarca of Montsià inCatalonia, Spain.This town is located in a plain at the northern end of the Serra de Godall, at the crossing of the roads between Tortosa and Ulldecona and between Amposta and La Galera...
town.
There are many remains of Iberian
Ilercavones
The Ilercavones were an ancient Iberian people of the Iberian peninsula . They are believed to have spoken an Iberian language....
villages in some hills of this range. The small settlement of La Selleta was built by German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
s on a hill below the Serra del Montsià in the last half of the 20th century.
Ecology
This mountain range is covered with Maquis shrublandMaquis 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...
. The lower slopes 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.
On the southeastern slope there is a large 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....
quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
that has degraded
Land degradation
Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by one or more combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land....
a vast area.
The Serra del Montsià marks the northernmost limit of the Iberian Ribbed Newt
Iberian Ribbed Newt
The Iberian ribbed newt or Spanish ribbed newt is a newt endemic to the central and southern Iberian Peninsula and Morocco. It is known for its sharp ribs which can puncture through its sides, and as such is also called the sharp-ribbed newt.-Physical description:The Iberian Ribbed Newt has...
distribution in the east of the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
.
Geology
The Serra del Montsià 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. Despite its seaside location it is part 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...
and 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...
.
Its highest point, la Torreta del Montsià, rises to a height of 764 m; even so, the Mola cima, with its triangular profile, looks like the highest peak from many angles around 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....
, along 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.
Other important peaks are la Foradada
La Foradada (Montsià)
La Foradada is a mountain of Catalonia, Spain. It has an altitude of 655 metres above sea level....
, located north of la Torreta, with magnificent views over the Ebre delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
, and the rocky Mata-redona.
Geologically the section formed by the Serra del Montsià - Ulldecona/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 is very similar to the section formed by the 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 ....
- 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...
/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...
Valley - Serra d'Irta
Serra d'Irta
Serra d'Irta is a 18.8 km long mountain range in the Baix Maestrat comarca, Valencian Community, Spain. Its highest point is Pic Campanilles .-Location:...
further south. 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...
.