Logbook · 3 places

What to see and do in Collbató

What to see and do in Collbató (Baix Llobregat, Barcelona): 3 places across monuments, nature, activities and curiosities, with a photo and a Google Maps location.

1 Villages · 1 Monuments · 1 Nature

How far each place is from the centre of Collbató

Castle of Collbató 150 m
Salnitre Caves 500 m

Towns near Collbató

Spain › Catalonia › Barcelona › Baix Llobregat › Collbató

What to see and do in Collbató

Collbató
Village
Collbató is a municipality in the Baix Llobregat comarca, in the province of Barcelona, located at the foot of Montserrat, whose massif and natural park occupy much of its territory, reaching in the north to the vicinity of the peak of Sant Jeroni and the sanctuary. The village stands in the flattest area, south of the massif, at 439 metres above sea level, and has 4,828 inhabitants. It is a gateway to the Salnitre caves. Its patronal feast, dedicated to Saint Cornelius, is held on 16 September. The composer Amadeo Vives, author of works such as Maruxa, Bohemios and Doña Francisquita, was born in Collbató.
Castle of Collbató
Monument
The castle of Collbató stands on a conical hill above the village of Collbató, at the foot of Montserrat. The town is documented since 931, when the priest Guadamir and his brothers sold Count Sunyer the allods they held in the district of the castle of la Guàrdia, in Collbató and in Almedòvar; the castle itself is documented since 1113, when Viscount Guislabert Udalard granted it to his daughter Ermessenda. It later passed to the lords of la Guàrdia and, in 1292, was sold to Guillem Durfort, who bequeathed it in 1375 to Santa Maria de Montserrat. Of the structures predating 1113, the base of a semicircular tower survives, 5.20 metres in outer diameter with walls 1.50 metres thick, surrounded by a wall enclosing an area of about 228 square metres.
Salnitre Caves
Nature
Also called the caves of Collbató or of Montserrat, they are part of the Montserrat massif and are karstic in origin, opened up in limestone conglomerate; they are declared a cultural asset of local interest. They were once rich in phosphate minerals and were formerly worked to obtain saltpetre, which is where their name comes from. Inside they house the largest set of chambers in Catalonia, and tradition credits their undulating shapes with part of the inspiration for Gaudí's works such as the Sagrada Família. The visitable route is 549 metres long with a 20-metre difference in elevation, with a constant interior temperature of 14°C; the upper part of the cave is not open to visitors. Every July it hosts the Gong Festival, dedicated to music with new sonorities.