Serra de Vallivana

Summary

Serra de Vallivana (Valencian pronunciation: [ˈsɛra ðe vaʎiˈvana], Spanish: Sierra de Vallivana) or Muntanyes de Vallivana[1] is an over 14 km (9 mi) long mountain range straddling the Alt Maestrat and Baix Maestrat comarcas, Valencian Community, Spain.

Serra de Vallivana
View of the range during a storm in the winter
Highest point
PeakMuixacre
Elevation1,275 m (4,183 ft)
ListingList of mountains in the Valencian Community
Coordinates40°31′48″N 0°2′2″E / 40.53000°N 0.03389°E / 40.53000; 0.03389
Dimensions
Length14 km (8.7 mi) WNW/ESE
Width3 km (1.9 mi) NNE/SSW
Geography
Serra de Vallivana is located in Spain
Serra de Vallivana
Serra de Vallivana
Spain
LocationAlt Maestrat & Baix Maestrat, Valencian Community
Parent rangeIberian System, eastern end
Geology
Type of rockKarstic
The church of Vallivana and an abandoned house
View of the Serra de Vallivana from the Port de Querol

Geography edit

The highest point of the range is the 1,275 m high Muixacre, located close to the Port de Querol mountain pass in the N-232 road. Other important peaks are Montserrat and Talaió. These mountains are frequently covered in snow in the winter.

This mountain chain rises between the almost abandoned village of Vallivana and the top of the Maestrat mountains, south of the Serra del Turmell and west of the Serra de l'Espadella ranges. These mountains are named after the virgin of Vallivana, the patroness of Morella. The easiest route to reach the range is from Vallivana or from Morella

Ecology edit

This sparsely-populated mountain area has the most important forested zone of the region[2] with large prey birds such as the griffon vulture and wild animals like Spanish ibex, roe deer and wild boar.

The area of this range together with the neighboring Tinença de Benifassà and Serra del Turmell was declared a Site of Community Importance by the European Union under the name Tinença de Benifassà, Turmell i Vallivana.[3]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Vicenç M. Rosselló i Verger, Toponímia, geografia i cartografia
  2. ^ José Quereda Sala, Les Moles de Xert,; Análisis Geomorfológico (in Spanish)
  3. ^ European Parliament - SCI and ZEPA ‘Tinença de Benifassà, Turmell i Vallivana’

External links edit

  •   Media related to Serra de Vallivana at Wikimedia Commons
  • El País Valencià poble a poble; comarca a comarca - El Baix Maestrat
  • Dena de Coll i Moll - Llogaret de Vallivana
  • Els Ports : Vallivana – Vereda del Turmell - Vallivana