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                  HISTORY  OF  ALBARCA

 

 ALBARCA  ( Aubarca )

Albarca is a small town located in the further east side of the Montsant Sierra, at 815 metres above sea level, attached to Cornudella de Montsant, within the Priorat region. It was an independent town until the mid XIX Century. Historically, it was a part of the Prades County

Its name means ‘sacred mountain’ , the same name that the Montsant Sierra had before its Christian reconquest in the mid XII Century.
HISTORIA

 

Villa Pequeña is situated on rough soil, which is only suitable for rainfed agriculture, vineyards and grazing. At the beginning of the XX Century there were about 100 inhabitants, and after the war from 1936-39, the town was rapidly depopulated.

A few years ago, the disagreeing of some town folk forged a myth in town, which told that there only lived two people there, and they didn’t get along.     

The population increases in the summer, where numbers go as high as the 20s in August. Albarca is a starting point for hikers, especially in spring and autumn.


 

The town celebrates its ‘fiesta mayor’ (town party) for the Virgin on the 15th of August, where they celebrate their traditional ‘tirada de bolos’, and greet the Montsant Virgin on the 17th.


 

Why Visit Albarca

Albarca makes an excellent starting point to go up Montsant mountain, and to do all types of excursions : floral routes, medieval tombs, cave exploring, hermitages, the Siurana and Margalef reservoirs, go mountain biking, climbing, wine-tasting, horse-back riding, and more.

The winning argument for Albarca is its extraordinary views from every side of the town. On one side, the Ulldemolins valley, with the Llena Sierra on the background, on the other side the Gritella with Siurana Sierra, and behind you can see the Puig de Gallicant.

Albarca is a starting point for many types of excursions. You can climb up the Montsant Sierra, as well as go on a hermitage route in Ulldemolins, or follow old Carthusian paths towards San Juan del Codolar, Cornudella de Montsant and the Morera de Montsant.

There is a public fountain in the Castillo square.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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