Geological units

The Garraf massif, between Barcelona and the Penedès, contains 367 cavities: 293 pits and 74 caves, with a total length of 15,052 m and a maximum depth of 291 m. The avenc de l'Esquerrà is the most important and complex cavity.

The mountains of l'Ordal, between Baix Llobregat and Alt Penedès, contain 290 cavities: 202 pits and 88 caves, with a total length of 9,574 metres and a maximum depth of 184 metres.

A massif of limestones and red sandstones in southern Catalonia, with 240 cavities including pits and caves, 16732 m of total passage and 79 m of maximum depth.

El Port is a unit of the Serralada Prelitoral with 201 cavities: 106 pits and 95 caves. The total surveyed length is 17435 metres and the maximum depth is 283 metres.

A unit of Sant Llorenç del Munt, in the Serralada Prelitoral: 163 cavities among 64 pits and 99 caves, with 6362 m of total passage and 126 m of maximum depth. A massif of monumental conglomerates between the Bages and the Vallès.

A unit of the eastern Prepirineu with 159 cavities: 101 caves and 58 pits, 6526 m of total passage and a maximum depth of 55 m. Main lithologies: limestone, sandstone and gypsum.

El Solsonès, in the Prepirineu, contains 159 cavities: 131 caves and 28 pits, with 3916 m of total passage and a maximum depth of 202 m. Conglomerates predominate, followed by limestones, sandstones and travertines.

Boumort, el has 158 inventoried cavities, with 8525 metres of total passage and a maximum depth of 83 metres.

Montsant is a unit of the Serralada Prelitoral with 147 cavities: 69 pits and 78 caves, 9,261 m of total passage and 85 m of maximum depth. A conglomerate range over the Priorat.

The Serra de l'Obac, in the Serralada Prelitoral, contains 141 cavities: 81 caves and 60 pits, with 4515 m of total passage and a maximum depth of 123 m. It is a conglomerate sector near Sant Llorenç del Munt, between Bages and the Vallès.

A unit of Montserrat, in the Serralada Prelitoral: 122 cavities (33 pits and 89 caves) with 4291 m of total passage and 148 m of maximum depth, in conglomerates.

Unit of the Alt Segre, in the Pirineu Axial, with 111 cavities: 92 caves and 19 pits. The total length is 7669 m and the maximum depth is 206 m. Limestone lithology.

A Prepirineu unit with 107 cavities: 47 pits and 60 caves, 3,778 m of total passage and 188 m of maximum depth. Notable are the Grallera del Carabasser, the Antic Bullidor and the Forat de les Olles.

A unit of the Serralada Prelitoral in Alt Penedès, with 105 cavities: 87 caves and 18 pits. Total surveyed length of 2692 m and maximum depth of 30 m. Limestone reliefs framing the Penedès plain.

A Prepirineu unit with 87 cavities: 42 pits and 45 caves, 7403 m of total passage and a maximum depth of 166 m. It includes the Grallera Gran del Corralot, the Graller del Boixeguer and the Cova Colomera.

A unit of the Garrigues, in the Depressió Central: 83 cavities, 82 caves and 1 pit, with 715 m of total passage and 6 m of maximum depth. Conglomerate (78) and sandstone (5) predominate.

Serres marginals - Est unit, in the Prepirineu: 82 cavities between pits and caves, with 3235 m of total passage and 103 m of maximum depth. It includes the Forat del Coscoll and the Baborell de la Dona Morta.

A unit of the Serralada Prelitoral, the Montsià, el - Godall: 81 cavities (65 caves and 16 pits), 1621 m of total passage and 58 m of maximum depth. A limestone massif at the southern tip of Catalonia, above the Ebro delta, with a coastal karst open to the sea.

An isolated limestone massif near the coast of the Baix Empordà, with 74 cavities: 45 caves and 29 pits, 3623 m of surveyed passage and a maximum depth of 70 m.

El Cabrerès is a unit of the Serralada Transversal with 71 cavities: 18 pits and 53 caves, 8191 m of total passage and 215 m of maximum depth. A plateau of sandstones and cliffs between Osona and la Selva.

High Atlantic Pyrenean valley of the Pirineu Axial, with 70 cavities: 16 caves and 54 pits. The high-altitude limestone and marble karst reaches 8,512 m of passage and 571 m of maximum depth.

Limestone sector of the Baix Foix, el, a southern extension of the Garraf karst toward the Penedès, with 68 cavities: 52 caves and 16 pits, 1256 m of total passage and a maximum depth of 31 m.

A Prepirineu unit with 68 cavities (20 pits and 48 caves), 3616 m of total passage and 76 m of maximum depth, in limestones, conglomerates, sandstones, gypsum and travertines.

A limestone massif between the Camp de Tarragona and the Ebre, with rugged relief and well-developed karst, containing 67 cavities: 30 pits and 37 caves, 3869 m of total passage and 87 m of maximum depth.

The Serra de Lleràs, in the Prepirineu of the Pallars Jussà, contains 66 cavities: 52 caves and 14 pits, with a total length of 20,597 metres and a maximum drop of 328 metres. Conglomerate (60) predominates over limestone (6).

Unit of the Muntanyes de Vandellós - Tivissa, in the Serralada Prelitoral, with 61 cavities including pits and caves, 1829 m of total passage and 109 m of maximum depth. Southern limestone ranges, between the Baix Camp and the Ebre, with a Mediterranean karst furrowed by ravines.

The Anoia, in the Serralada Prelitoral, contains 60 cavities: 45 caves and 15 pits, with 3183 m of total passage and a maximum depth of 47 m. Limestones and travertines predominate.

Farell Unit - Cingles de Gallifa, in the Serralada Prelitoral, with 60 cavities: 41 caves and 19 pits. It includes 1584 m of total passage and 32 m of maximum depth. Conglomerate and limestone cliffs between the Vallès and the Moianès.

Moianès, el has 59 inventoried cavities, with 1927 metres of total passage and a maximum depth of 21 metres.

A unit of the western Prepirineu with 59 cavities: 43 caves and 16 pits. It includes 5,037 m of total passage and 161 m of maximum depth. Cova Negra de Tragó and Forat del Balconet stand out.

A Prepirineu unit with 57 cavities in Berguedà, including pits and caves, with a total passage length of 3888 m and a maximum depth of 110 m.

Alt Àneu has 56 inventoried cavities, with 5195 metres of total passage and a maximum depth of 320 metres.

A karst relief unit with 54 cavities (30 pits and 24 caves), 5128 m of total passage and 180 m of maximum depth, in the limestone massifs of the Ebro bank.

A Prepirineu unit with 53 cavities across Osona, the Ripollès and the Garrotxa: 18 pits and 35 caves, 3168 m of total passage and a maximum depth of 52 m. Sandstone and limestone ranges in the Serralada Transversal.

A unit of 48 cavities in Sant Salvador de les Espases - Serra de Rubió, with 22 pits and 26 caves, 1012 m of total passage and 20 m of maximum depth. Conglomerate and limestone crags above the Llobregat, neighbours of Montserrat and Sant Llorenç.

Eastern sector of the Montsec, in the Prepirineu, with 46 cavities: 22 pits and 24 caves. A total of 4,822 m of passage and a maximum depth of 107 m. The Forat de l'Or stands out, with 2,213 m.

Unit of the Alt Freser, in the Pirineu Axial, with 45 cavities: 12 pits and 33 caves. Total length of 3099 m and maximum depth of 67 m. Lithologies: limestone, marble, granite, slate and schist.

Unit of the Alt Llobregat, in the Berguedà, with 45 cavities: 26 caves and 19 pits. It totals 1890 m of passage and reaches a maximum depth of 59 m. Limestone headwater area between the Prepirineu and the Pirineu Axial.

A Prepirineu unit between Alt Urgell and Solsonès, with 43 cavities: 28 pits and 15 caves, 2679 m of total passage and 137 m of maximum depth.

Granite massif of the Baix Empordà, covered with cork oak forests, with 42 boulder caves. The cavities total 710 m of passage and reach a maximum depth of 13 m.

The Bonastre Massif, in the Serralada Prelitoral, contains 41 cavities: 19 pits and 22 caves, with 2376 m of total passage and a maximum depth of 70 m. The karst develops in dolomites, limestones, sandstones and conglomerates.

A unit of coastal limestone reliefs in the Tarragonès, with 41 cavities (35 caves and 6 pits), 3428 m of total passage and 58 m of maximum depth. It includes the Cova Urbana de Tarragona and various cavities at Cap de Salou and Altafulla.

La Marina de la Selva is a unit of the Serralada Litoral with 41 caves, all catalogued as Cova, totalling 1192 m of passage and reaching a maximum depth of 9 m.

El Montmell is a unit of the Serralada Prelitoral with 41 cavities: 14 pits and 27 caves. It has a total length of 1174 m and a maximum depth of 80 m, with limestone and dolomite predominating.

A unit of granite relief in the Baix Empordà with 39 cavities (35 caves and 4 pits), 1709 m of total passage and 48 m of maximum depth.

A unit of the Serralada Transversal with 36 cavities: 25 caves and 11 pits. Total length of 1355 m and maximum depth of 40 m. Sandstones predominate, with limestones, travertines, schists and marls.

Sandstone plateau of the Lluçanès, in the Depressió Central, with 35 cavities, mainly rock shelters and minor caves; the longest is 21 m and the maximum depth is 12 m.

A unit of the Pla del Bages, in the Depressió Central, with 35 cavities: 32 caves and 3 pits. The total length is 385 m and the maximum depth is 10 m. Sandstone predominates, with conglomerates and one gypsum cave.

A unit of the Alt Pallars, in the Pirineu Axial, with 29 cavities: 11 pits and 18 caves. The total length is 1346 metres and the maximum depth is 89 metres. The Forat del Graller is the longest cavity (211 m) and the deepest (89 m).

A unit of the Alt Ter, in the Pirineu Axial, with 29 cavities: 25 caves and 4 pits. The total length is 1987 m and the maximum depth is 96 m. The headwaters of the Ter in the Ripollès feature pockets of karstified limestone among Pyrenean reliefs.

Serra de Peracalç has 29 inventoried cavities, with 1588 metres of total passage and a maximum depth of 68 metres.

La Baronia de Rialb, la, in the Prepirineu, brings together 28 cavities: 18 caves and 10 pits, with 889 m of total passage and 54 m of maximum depth. Limestone ranges transitional between the Prepirineu and the plain, around Rialb.

A unit with 27 cavities between the Priorat and the Baix Camp, with 17 caves and 10 pits. Total length of 805 m and maximum depth of 61 m. Discreet Mediterranean karst in limestones, sandstones and dolomites.

Unit of the Cingles de Bertí - Vall del Tenes, in the Serralada Prelitoral, with 25 cavities including pits and caves, 665 m of total passage and 22 m of maximum depth.

Bloc del Gaià has 24 inventoried cavities, with 945 metres of total passage and a maximum depth of 50 metres.

A massif of sandstones and granites between Osona and the Selva, with 24 cavities (23 caves and 1 pit), 1240 m of total passage and a maximum depth of 11 m. The Cova de les Grioteres, at 323 m, stands out.

The Montseny, el, in the Serralada Prelitoral, brings together 24 cavities: 20 caves and 4 pits, with 747 m of total passage and 14 m of maximum depth. Limestone is the dominant lithology.

Rocacorba unit, in the Serralada Transversal, with 20 cavities including pits and caves. It includes Bora Tuna, 403 m, and the Avenc de Can Plana, 68 m deep.

A travertine unit around the Estany de Banyoles, with 20 cavities: 17 caves and 3 pits, 829 m of total passage and 60 m of maximum depth.

La Conca de Barberà, in the Depressió Central, contains 19 cavities: 17 caves and 2 pits, with 4003 m of total development and 26 m of maximum depth. Conglomerate (16) predominates over limestone (3).

A gypsum and limestone plateau of the Depressió Central, with 18 cavities: 8 pits and 10 caves, 633 metres of total passage and a maximum depth of 40 metres.

A karst relief unit with 18 inventoried cavities: 16 caves and 2 pits, 1132 m of total passage and 28 m of maximum depth, between Baix Camp and Priorat.

Limestone range of the Prepirineu, between Pallars and Ribagorça, entirely karstic, with 18 cavities: 12 caves and 6 pits, 567 m of total passage and 40 m of maximum depth.

La Plana de Vic, la, in the Depressió Central, brings together 17 cavities: 16 caves and 1 pit. The total length is 501 metres and the maximum depth is 9 metres. The lithologies are sandstone and limestone.

Terra Alta, in the Serralada Prelitoral, contains 16 cavities: 4 pits and 12 caves, with a total length of 519 m and a maximum depth of 65 m. Conglomerates and limestones predominate.

A unit of the Cap de Creus, in the Pirineu Axial, with 15 caves —all catalogued as Cova— and 779 m of total passage. The Cau del Lliri, with 460 m and 73 m of vertical drop, is the longest and deepest cavity.

A relief unit of the Serralada Prelitoral with 14 cavities: 11 caves and 3 pits, 773 m of total passage and a maximum depth of 43 m. It includes the Avenc Miravet and the Avenc de la Picossa. Lithologies: limestone, dolomite and conglomerate.

A unit of l' Empordà in the Prepirineu, with 13 cavities: 7 pits and 6 caves. Total length of 528 m and maximum depth of 52 m. Limestone reliefs of Alt Empordà, with scattered caves.

Serra de Finestres is a unit of the Serralada Transversal, in Garrotxa, formed by sandstones with rock shelters and erosion cavities. It contains 11 cavities: 4 pits and 7 caves, with 632 m of total passage and 43 m of maximum depth.

Alta Muga - L'Albera unit, in the Pirineu Axial, with 9 cavities: 3 pits and 6 caves. Total length of 199 m and maximum depth of 30 m. Schistose terrain with cavities linked to fracturing.

A unit of limestone reliefs in the lower Francolí valley, between Tarragonès and Alt Camp, with 6 caves and a total length of 90 m.

A relief unit of the Serralada Litoral that dominates Barcelona, with 6 caves and 608 metres of total passage. It includes the Escletxes de Papiol, the Coves de Santa Creu d'olorda and several cavities of the Torre Negra.

Montgrony has 6 inventoried cavities, with 215 metres of total passage and a maximum depth of 67 metres.

A unit of the Montnegre, in the Serralada Litoral, with 6 cavities: 4 caves and 2 pits. The total length is 126 m and the maximum depth is 14 m. The Avenc de les Aranyes is the longest, at 72 m.

A unit of the Serralada Transversal with 6 caves in the Garrotxa, where the cavities are linked to lava flows and tubes. The group totals 405 m of passage and 19 m of maximum depth.

A unit of the Serralada Litoral with 5 caves, all in granite, totalling 61 metres of passage and reaching a maximum depth of 6 metres.

El Salí de Cardona, el, in the Depressió Central, brings together 4 caves with a total length of 5208 m and a maximum depth of 187 m. Salt diapir of Bages, one of the most singular salt karsts in Europe.

Lowlands of the Segre, made of sandstones of the Depressió Central, with very occasional presence of cavities: 1 cave, the Cova de Sant Jaume, 5 m long and 0 m deep.