Picos de Europa
| Picos de Europa | ||
|---|---|---|
 View from Pico Tesorero to the north: on the left Torre de Cerredo , on the right Naranjo de Bulnes , in the background the Sierra de Cuera and the Costa Verde |
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| Highest peak | Torre de Cerredo ( 2648 m ) | |
| location | Asturias , Castile-León and Cantabria (Northern Spain) | |
| part of | Cantabrian Mountains | |
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| Coordinates | 43 ° 12 ′ N , 4 ° 48 ′ W | |
| Type | Fold Mountains , Karst | |
| rock | limestone | |
| Age of the rock | Carbon | |
The Picos de Europa [ ˈpikos ðewˈɾopa ] ( Spanish for "summit of Europe") are a limestone massif within the Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain . It extends over parts of the autonomous communities of Asturias , Castile-León and Cantabria . The Picos de Europa National Park , which extends over large parts of the mountains, is one of the most visited national parks in Spain. The Reconquista began in these mountains in 722 with the Battle of Covadonga .
Geology and geography
The Picos de Europa are a folded mountain range with a pronounced karst landscape from the Carboniferous period , which was created when the Iberian peninsula collided with the African plate . In the Picos de Europa there are around 200 peaks over 2000 m above sea level on a very compact area. The highest peak of the mountains is the Torre de Cerredo (2648 m); the most famous peak of the mountains is the Naranjo de Bulnes (2518 m) or in Asturian Pico Urriello , a mountain that is difficult on all routes and particularly popular in the summer months. Due to the proximity to the sea, which is about 20 kilometers away, the climate of the mountain range is characterized by high humidity and extensive rainfall.
The Picos de Europa consist of three sub-massifs:
- western Picos de Europa or El Cornión
- central Picos de Europa or Los Urrieles
- eastern Picos de Europa or Andara
Picos de Europa National Park
The Picos de Europa National Park with the same name is located in the Picos de Europa . It was established on July 22, 1918 as a Spanish national park with the original name Parque Nacional de la Montaña de Covadonga and a size of 16,925 hectares and covered an area of 64,660 hectares on May 30, 1995. The Picos de Europa National Park has been a UNESCO- designated biosphere reserve since 2003 . The forests in Picos de Europa are diverse.
flora
You can find red beech and oak forests , which are typical of northern Spain, but also trees and plants such as the stone or cork oak , which normally grow in areas with a Mediterranean climate. Pines and firs , which are widespread in the Pyrenees, do not belong to the autochthonous flora of the Cantabrian Mountains.
fauna
In the national park there are retreat areas for many endangered animal species such as the capercaillie , the European brown bear and the Iberian wolf ; the bearded vulture was exterminated in the 50s, attempts are being made to make it resident again - the chamois , wild boar , roe deer , deer and golden eagle are numerous .
Naranjo de Bulnes
Lamedo
Mirador "El Cable"
Lago Enol
