Prades Mountains, also known as Muntanyes de Prades, is a large

calcareous Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime (mineral), lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of Science, scientific disciplines. In zoology ''Calcare ...

mountain massif straddling the comarcas of Alt Camp,

Baix Camp Baix Camp () is a Comarques of Catalonia, comarca located in the region of Camp de Tarragona, in Catalonia.The capital is the city of Reus. Baix Camp is located on the coast, between Tarragonès to the northeast and Baix Ebre to the south. It als ...

Conca de Barberà Conca de Barberà () is a comarca (county) in the region of Camp de Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. Its total area is , and its capital is Montblanc. At its creation in 1936, it contained 23 municipalities, but in 1990, several of these were amal ...

, Garrigues and

Priorat Priorat () is a comarca (county) in Camp de Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. The region is named due to the monastery of Scala Dei which held many properties and the capital is now the town of Falset. Economy The central part of the comarca, ''Pr ...

, in

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. They are a

Site of Community Importance A Site of Community Importance (SCI) is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) as a site which, in the biogeographical region or regions to which it belongs, contributes significantly to the maintenance or restoration at ...

. These mountains have characteristic large and rounded rocky outcrops. They are mostly heavily forested with

oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

and

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. ''World Flora Online'' accepts 134 species-rank taxa (119 species and 15 nothospecies) of pines as cu ...

trees, and the non-native

chestnut The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Description ...

tree has adapted to the local forests.

Geography

The range runs in an east to west direction and is part of the

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 Ser ...

. The main peak is Tossal de la Baltasana (1203 m), other summits are Mola d'Estat (1127 m), Mola dels Quatre Termes (1117 m), La Mussara (1055 m), and Punta de la Barrina (1013 m).Mapa Topogràfic de Catalunya - Institut Cartogràfic de Catalunya
/ref> The 731 m high Tossal de la Creu is a visible landmark from the Poblet Monastery, located at the foot of the range. The Francolí River has its source in these mountains as well as other minor local rivers.

Municipalities

The Prades Mountains are a large massif with many smaller subranges extending over the following municipal terms:

L'Albiol L'Albiol () is a municipality in the '' comarca'' of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Au ...

, Alcover,

L'Aleixar L'Aleixar () is a municipality in the '' comarca'' of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. The Serra de la Mussara, a subrange of the Prades Mountains rises north of the town. The church is dedicated to Saint Martin. ...

, Alforja, Almoster, Arbolí, Capafonts, Cornudella de Montsant, L'Espluga de Francolí, La Febró, Montblanc, Mont-ral, La Pobla de Cérvoles, Prades, La Riba,

La Selva del Camp La Selva del Camp () is a municipality in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia, northern Spain. The Prades Mountains are located in the vicinity of this municipality. Main sights *Parish church of Sant Andreu *Castle (12th century) *Convent of ...

, Ulldemolins,

Vallclara Vallclara () is a village in the province of Tarragona and autonomous community of Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of C ...

Vilaplana Vilaplana () is a municipality in the ''Catalonia/Comarques, comarca'' of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. The Serra de la Mussara, a subrange of the Prades Mountains rises north of the town. This mountain range is named ...

, Vilanova de Prades, Vilaverd,

El Vilosell El Vilosell () is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Cat ...

and

Vimbodí i Poblet Vimbodí i Poblet () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Conca de Barberà in Catalonia, Spain. The main settlement is the village of Vimbodí. The Prades Mountains are located in the vicinity of this municipality. Sights The Monas ...

Gallery

File:Pena roja.jpg, The massive Pena Roja File:Esglesia de la Mussara 2006.jpg, The ruined church of La Mussara, an abandoned town in the Serra de la Mussara, a subrange of the Prades Mountains File:Catalunya capafonts-prades (8).JPG, A forest near Capafonts

References

Bibliography

*Domingo, Màrius. ''Muntanyes de Prades. Excursions naturals''. Valls: Cossetània, 2000 *Domingo, M. i Borau, A. ''Muntanyes de Prades, Paisatge i Fauna''. Valls: Cossetània, 1998 *Ferré Masip, Rafael. ''Les Muntanyes de Prades. Guia itinerària''. Barcelona: Piolet, 2001 *Insa, Josep. ''Les Muntanyes de Prades. Caminant de poble a poble''. Valls: Cossetània, 2005

External links

Tourist information

Tretzevents: ''Les Muntanyes de Prades''

Associació d'Amics de les Muntanyes de Prades

Protected areas in CataloniaGeneralitat
{{Authority control Mountain ranges of Catalonia Alt Camp Baix Camp Conca de Barberà Garrigues (comarca) Priorat