Cova de la Vila

Cova de 31 metres de recorregut, d'interès arqueològic a la Febró.

Febró, La • Baix Camp31m16m

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Cova de la Vila

Cova de 31 metres de recorregut, d'interès arqueològic a la Febró.

Febró, La · Baix Camp

Length: 31 m · Depth: 16 m

Updated record

https://espeleoworld.com/en/c/cova-de-la-vila

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 31-metre-long cave of archaeological interest in la Febró, with a height difference of 15.6 metres (+6.20/-9.40).

Characteristics

Type: Cave
Municipality: Febró, La
Region: Baix Camp
Unit: Muntanyes de Prades
Length: 31 meters
Depth: 16 meters
Major Unit: Serralada Prelitoral
Lithology: Dolomite
Last review: 2023-03-21

Location

Access begins from the cemetery of la Febró, where one can park, and follows the T-704 road in the direction of la Febró for 115 metres; at this point, on the left of the road on the ground, there is a cement manhole cover and a signpost for the cova de la Vila, and this is where the path that climbs the barranc de la Cova del Corral begins. After a distance of six hundred and eighteen metres from the cemetery, we find on the left of the path a turn-off marked with signposts; we will climb the slope along this path, which in 161 metres will bring us to the mouth of the cova d'en Peixet. In this cave we find a sign indicating the way to the cova de la Vila; one must climb up a rock to the right of the mouth of the cova d'en Peixet and follow the little path that descends to a lower step where the mouth of the cova de la Vila is found.

It can also be reached by a gully just in front of the cova d'en Peixet, where there is a fixed rope installed which, followed for about 25 metres, brings us to the cova de la Vila.

Entrances

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Cova de la Vila
Elevation: 883 m
41.281685, 1.011481
UTM 31T (ETRS89) 333472 4571934
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Topographic

Cova de la Vila - Topography, Febró, La, Baix Camp

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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 la Vila - Photo, Febró, La, Baix Camp

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Description

Morphology

A mouth 2x1 metres gives access to a short gallery 4 metres long where these dimensions are maintained; the gallery opens into a wide chamber about 5 metres in diameter and 4 metres high where on the floor we find two large flat blocks that occupy almost the whole of the floor. In the E part of the chamber we find an annex. In the ceiling of the W part of the chamber a couple of holes can be seen; once the climb has been made we find that it forms a small little room 2 metres high and with a rock bridge between both openings that give onto the ceiling of the chamber but with no continuation. Back in the chamber, from its W side a short passage leads out that brings us to a rounded chamber about 3 metres in diameter and 3 metres high; the ceiling of the chamber is split in two by a joint. At the end of the chamber we find a pit of about 4 metres. At the end of the pit we reach a short and narrow descending gallery that places us at the lowest point of the cavity. The total length is 31 metres and the height difference 15.6 metres (+6.20/-9.40).

Speleothems

In the E part of the chamber we find an annex where there are the only formations of the cavity in the form of flowstone.

Progression

The pit of about 4 metres had to be cleared, since Dr. Vilaseca, when he carried out the excavation of the cave, threw all the excavated material (earth and stones) into this pit, collapsing it. It is still pending further removal of stones and earth from the pit, since a possible connection with the neighbouring cova d'en Peixet is not ruled out.

Other details

At the end of 2021 the IPHES carried out an emergency archaeological intervention between the end of the entrance chamber and the side little room where a height difference of a couple of metres has been left in the floor.

History

It seems that this cave, as well as others in the area, were known to a farmer from la Febró, en Modesto Llort Martorell, nicknamed Carboner; he accompanied Dr. Vilaseca and Albert Prunera in the exploration and excavation of various caves of the Serra de Prades, the cova de la Vila among them. The Cova de la Vila was explored and archaeologically excavated between the years 1941 and 1944; later the location of the cave was lost on all maps, among them the ICGC, as well as in some wikiloc descriptions where the cova de la Vila appears confused with the cova del Corral or with the cova d'en Peixet.

In la Febró it is said that in the 90s of the last century Albert Prunera's ashes were placed by his family inside the cave; we do not know whether this story is true, but judging by some funerary objects found in the cave it is probable that it was so.

On the other hand we do not understand the reason why the archaeologists of the IPHES have decided to change the name of the cova de la Vila and start calling it Boca Prunera, as well as the neighbouring cova d'en Peixet also being called Cova de la Vila but in this case calling it Boca Peixet; currently they are two independent cavities with no communication between them. All in all a fine mess.