La Garrotxa in detail
A unique cultural heritage
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La Garrotxa has an extensive cultural heritage: historic trails, charming villages, buildings of great architectural interest, museums and interpretation centers, traditional festivals? The material heritage of the region is organized in 15 thematic proposals covering all themes, s and cultural and artistic manifestations. More information at patrimoni.garrotxa.catCuisine is another form of cultural heritage. In La Garrotxa it is especially remarkable the work of recovery of traditional products and recipes that is developed from Cuina Volcànica.
Geology
There are 40 catalogued volcanoes in La Garrotxa, with 10 well-preserved phreatomagmatic explosion craters and 23 well-preserved slag cones resulting from strombolian activity. In addition, there are more than 20 lava flows, one of which is the best preserved block lava flow in the Iberian Peninsula. There are also more than 80 tossols, small hills originated by the interaction of humid areas with the lava flows, and an ancient volcanic dam lake filled by sediments transported by rivers and torrents.throughout the park there is a wide spectrum of volcanic deposits resulting from strombolian eruptions and, above all, phreatomagmatic, where the diversity of deposits of these characteristics is one of the richest in Europe. In addition, there are 50 outcrops of interest that preserve and illustrate the existing volcanic deposits and processes.
Landscape
In addition to the geological and biological values, the landscape was the other value that justified the declaration of the Park as a protected area. The modest distribution of the soil in crops, pastures, forests and the location of rural housing, as a result of a sensible agricultural and forestry use, have configured throughout the volcanic area a landscape of orderly, balanced and serene appearance.The landscape of the Natural Park of the Volcanic Zone of La Garrotxa is diverse and delicate, sometimes subtle and always evocative. A bird's eye view is a mosaic of shades ranging from dark green to tender and luminous green, from the black and maroon of the volcanic earth to the fiery red of the white maples in autumn. The mists can unfold white sheets over the wet meadows and submerge the valley of Olot in a silvery sea. Any time of the year brings nuances to the palette of the painter, who finds it impossible to fully capture all the shades of a changing satin light.
Habitats
In La Garrotxa there are 26 habitats of community interest, holm oak, beech, pine, alder, scree, rivers, etc. with an area of about 57,000 ha of the 73,500 ha of La Garrotxa.
Flora and vegetation
The vegetation landscape of the volcanic zone is characterized by its diversity. The physiographic characteristics of the area, especially the climate and the substratum, determine a transition between a Mediterranean, sub-Mediterranean and Central European vegetation landscape, with an Atlantic character.
Fauna
The fauna of the Natural Park is characterized by its diversity, which is explained by the different environments found, and has species of great interest, especially with respect to invertebrates.