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Cova de la Torre Negra

Cova de la Torre Negra

A 76-metre-long cave in Collserola, known since 1964, with an important assemblage of Neolithic burials.

Sant Cugat del Vallès • Vallès Occidental 76m 7m

A 76-metre-long cave in Collserola, known since 1964, with an important assemblage of Neolithic burials.

Characteristics

Location

From the BP-1417 road (carretera de l'Arrabassada), between kilometres 10 and 11, turn right coming from Barcelona and left from Sant Cugat del Vallès. Continue along the Rambla de Can Bell until reaching a junction on the right, where there is a post with several signs among which is the Neolithic cave; continue along the track on the right going downhill, making a first bend to the right and another to the left; soon you will find a junction, continue along the left one; immediately afterwards you will find on the left the entrance to a small quarry and a little further on another entrance to a larger quarry; following the track, just after passing this entrance, you will find a path that climbs up to the upper part of the quarry where you will find a manhole with an iron cover that is the entrance to the cavity. At present, although the cover is in place, it remains open.

Map

Entrances

Always verify coordinates and access conditions before setting out.

  1. Cova de la Torre Negra

    Elevation: 174 m

    41.459809, 2.097559
    UTM 31T (ED 50) 424726 4590399
Download all entrances as GPX

Photos

Cova de la Torre Negra - Photo, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Vallès OccidentalView image
Click to enlarge

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

Image 1 of 8

Description

Morphology

Access to the cavity once past the iron cover is via a shaft of about 3 metres; at the base there is a gallery with a length of 10 metres where one can advance upright until reaching a rock bridge. From this initial gallery the other galleries that make up the whole cave branch off, three of them on the right-hand side as we enter, and the fourth on the left-hand side, totalling 76 metres of passage.

The first gallery is found beneath the entrance mouth; the gallery has a low ceiling and forms two branches, one opposite the main gallery, while the other can be followed to the left for about three metres.

A few metres before reaching the rock bridge, we find a second gallery on the right; this one has a very low ceiling and a width of 1 to 1.5 metres, with a length of about 6 metres, ending in a small rounded chamber where one can turn around. At the far end of the entrance gallery, where we find the rock bridge, two galleries branch off in opposite directions; the right one will take us to a rounded chamber about a couple of metres high. The left one, after a low passage, the gallery regains height but only for a short time, as one must continue in a N direction along a gallery one metre wide and with a very low ceiling for four metres. The gallery continues with little height and a slight upward trend until reaching a trifurcation. In a S direction to the left we can continue for 5 metres through a narrow, slightly descending passage. From the trifurcation we can also continue in a straight line relative to our arrival; this continuation is ascending in form and begins with a narrow passage that leads us to a dome where we can stand upright. From this dome we can continue through a short stooping passage to a second chamber where this passage ends. Back at the trifurcation, we will follow in a NE direction through a wide but low chamber, seeking the easternmost end. At this point we enter a gallery where one can walk upright. Towards the E, the gallery presents a vertical step that is easy to climb and ends after a few metres; at this point we find a chimney 4 metres high. On the W side of this gallery, one must access it from its entrance, where we can overcome a short one-metre step that will allow us to cover about 5 metres, ending in a chimney 6 metres high.

History

Neolithic burial cave known since 1964, when it was discovered by a forest ranger. In the first explorations, speleologists from the SECES of the CE Sabadell and members of the Grup de Recerques Arqueològiques of the CE de Gràcia took part, although not jointly.

Inside, an important assemblage of burials (possibly up to 18 individuals) was excavated, with a numerous funerary assemblage.

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Bibliography

  1. Badiella i Noguera, Xavier; Balasch i Viñas, Montserrat.(1993).-” Les Coves de la Torre Negra”. Arxiu del Centre Excursionista de Terrassa (76-77-78-79):234-242. Centre Excursionista de Terrassa.
  2. Ten, Ramon (1981).- "La Cova de la Torre Negra (Sant Cugat del Vallès dins el marc de l'Eneolític Vallesà)" Pyrenae (17-18): 149-164. Universitat de Barcelona.
  3. Vergés, Ferran.(1975).-” Cova del Turó de la Torre Negra - Estudi arqueològic i antropològic” Els Blaus Circular per als socis (1975 juliol-agost).
  • Ostiaelfantasma.blogspot.com.es/2010/07/cova-negra.html Els Forats de la meva memòria, blog de Ferran Vergés.

Source: Espeleoindex (espeleoindex.com), modified. CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/