Caves of the Priorat

The Priorat contains 192 inventoried cavities: 103 caves and 89 pits. Together they total 11839 metres of passage and reach a maximum depth of 85 metres. The dominant lithology is conglomerate, present in 134 cavities, followed by limestones (36), dolomites (14), sandstones (6) and travertines (2).

Among the longest cavities are the Avenc de l'Aisling, with 871 metres of passage and 53 m of depth in the Morera de Montsant, explored by the GELL in 1995; the Cova de les Campanes, with 800 metres of passage and 70 m of depth in the Morera de Montsant; and the Avenc de la Miloquera, with 769 metres of passage in Marçà, with five entrances and a drop reaching -78 metres. Also notable are the Cova de la Taverna, with 472 metres in the Montsant (Margalef), and the Avenc del Vent, with 417 metres and 39 m of depth in Ulldemolins.

As for depth, the Avenc del Púdol reaches 85 metres in Margalef, with two entrances separated by 12 metres. It is followed by the Avenc de la Miloquera, with -78 metres; the Avenc del Pastor, 71 metres in the Turó de la Miloquera, Marçà, explored and surveyed by the Espeleo Club de Gràcia in 1979; the Cova de les Campanes, 70 m; and the Avenc de Fontaubella, 61 m deep with the largest entrance in Catalonia, in the Priorat. The comarca has 15 subsidiary units.