Cova de l'Agnet

A large rock shelter at Margalef formerly used as a wine cellar, with two masonry vats of about 10,000 litres each and a final zone of great lithogenic profusion.

Margalef • Priorat 23m 2m

EspeleoWorld

Cova de l'Agnet

A large rock shelter at Margalef formerly used as a wine cellar, with two masonry vats of about 10,000 litres each and a final zone of great lithogenic profusion.

Margalef · Priorat

Length: 23 m · Depth: 2 m

Updated record

https://espeleoworld.com/en/c/cova-de-l-agnet

Information can change. Always verify coordinates, access, weather, and cave conditions before setting out.

Topographic map of the main entrance — Main entrance · ICGC topographic map

A large rock shelter at Margalef formerly used as a wine cellar, with two masonry vats of about 10,000 litres each and a final zone of great lithogenic profusion.

Characteristics

Type: Cave
Municipality: Margalef
Region: Priorat
Unit: Montsant, el
Length: 23 meters
Depth: 2 meters
Major Unit: Serralada Prelitoral
Lithology: Conglomerate
Updated on EspeleoÍndex: February 18, 2020

Location

From Margalef, along the T-713 road, we continue towards the Margalef reservoir. After one kilometre, on the right, we find an asphalted track that takes us to the corral del Roger (there is a metal gate that can be opened; it must be closed again). We go down to the river (iron gate, which must be closed again), where we find a wooden footbridge that takes us to the other bank of the river (in fairly poor condition after the Glòria storm). We follow the path that climbs up through the Racó de la Coma Negra along the right bank for 1.5 kilometres, to a point where the torrent is crossed, and we climb up the opposite slope following the torrent of the Racó del Clot. After 300 metres we pass the turn-off for the cova del Miracle. We continue climbing to a point where the path follows a stretch along the torrent bed; a little further on we come out on the left and climb up to the cova de l'Agnet. This will have been a route of about 800 metres from the turn-off for the cova del Miracle.

Entrances

Always verify coordinates and access conditions before setting out.

Cova dels Cups
Elevation: 677 m
41.278816, 0.784489
UTM 31T (ETRS89) 314453 4572076
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Topographic

Cova de l'Agnet - Topography, Margalef, Priorat

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Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

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Photos

Cova de l'Agnet - Photo, Margalef, Priorat

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Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

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Description

Morphology

A wide porch gives access to a gallery with a slight downward slope. In the very middle of the gallery there are two masonry vats of about 10,000 litres each. On the left there are remains of a construction made for shelter, while on the right the ceiling lowers, leaving a wide space but of scant height.

Speleothems

At the final part of the gallery we find a zone with a great profusion of lithogenic formations, above all columns and gours.

History

J. Ferraté, in his work Espeleologia de les comarques tarragonines (1918), mentions the Cova de l'Agnet (or de l'Arnet), located about 300 m beyond la Cova dels Miracles, and explains that it has been fitted out by the local people for winemaking, where one can admire a cellar with its vat and barrels (sic).

In the Memòria del II Campament Regional d'Espeleòlegs (April-May 1967) it is said that it is a large rock shelter where some masonry containers for wine are found.

In the Catàleg Espeleològic de Catalunya (1984) it is also included but, we believe erroneously, it is given the synonym of Cova del Forn.

More recently, surely through ignorance of the original toponym, in all the hiking guides and routes, including the ICGC map, it appears georeferenced as Cova dels Cups.

Probably the use of the cave as a cellar fell into decline with the arrival of the phylloxera plague in the Priorat from the year 1893, when many vine cultivations had to be abandoned and it caused the depopulation of the region.

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Bibliography

Borrás, J.; Miñarro, J.M.; Talavera, F.(1984).-”el Baix Camp, el Priorat i la Ribera d'Ebre”. Catàleg Espeleològic de Catalunya (vol.7). Ed. Políglota. Barcelona.

Ferraté, J.(1918).-Espeleologia de les comarques tarragonines. 133 pp. Agrupació Excursionista de Reus.

SAS-CGB (1967).- II Campamento Regional de Espeleólogos – Margalef, Montsant 29-30 abril y 1 mayo 1967. Patrocinat pel Comitè Regional d'Espeleologia (FCM)