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Salnitre Caves

Collbató, Baix Llobregat, Barcelona

1 Villages · 1 Monuments · 1 Nature

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Salnitre Caves

Nature · Collbató, Baix Llobregat, Barcelona

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.

Photo: Elnyes (CC BY-SA 3.0)

What to see and do in Collbató