Sierra Morena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sierra Morena |
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View of the Sierra Morena range in the Obejo area
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Bañuela |
| Elevation | 1,332 m (4,370 ft) |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 450 km (280 mi) E/W |
| Width | 75 km (47 mi) N/S |
| Geography | |
Location of the Sierra Morena
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| Location | Provinces of Badajoz, (Extremadura), Ciudad Real, (Castile-La Mancha) and Córdoba, Jaén, Sevilla and Huelva (Andalusia) |
| Range coordinates | 38°22′N 3°50′W / 38.367°N 3.833°W |
| Geology | |
| Orogeny | Variscan orogeny |
The Sierra Morena is a famous mountain range in Spain. It stretches about 450 kilometers (280 miles) from east to west. This mountain range forms the southern edge of the Meseta Central, which is a large plateau in the middle of Spain. It also acts as a natural barrier, separating the Guadiana River valley in the north from the Guadalquivir River valley in the south.
The highest point in the Sierra Morena is Bañuela, which stands at 1,332 meters (4,370 feet) tall. Other important peaks include Corral de Borros (1,312 m) and Cerro de la Estrella (1,298 m).
The name Sierra Morena means 'dark mountain range'. This name probably comes from the dark color of its rocks and plants. This area is well-known in Spanish stories and songs. You might hear tales about brave bandits, a giant snake, or even a child raised by wolves, like Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja. The Sierra Morena is also mentioned in the popular Mexican song "Cielito Lindo" and the Spanish song "Soy Minero."
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What is the Sierra Morena Like?
The Sierra Morena stretches from the Guadalmena River in the east all the way to western Huelva Province, even reaching into Portugal. This mountain system was formed by the movement of the African Plate pushing against the European Plate. It is made up of strong, old rocks like granite and quartzite, as well as softer ones like slate.
In the past, the Sierra Morena was a wild area with few people. Its mountain passes were very important for travel between Andalusia in the south and Central Spain.
How High are the Mountains?
The peaks in the Sierra Morena are not super tall compared to other mountain ranges in Spain. In fact, its highest point is the lowest among Spain's main mountain systems. However, the mountains are quite consistent in height, usually between 600 and 1,300 meters (2,000 to 4,300 feet).
From the north, the Sierra Morena doesn't look very high because it's just the edge of the Meseta Central plateau. But if you look from the south, from the Baetic Depression, it looks like a true mountain range with impressive slopes and deep valleys.
One famous spot is Despeñaperros in Jaén. It's a steep canyon with walls over 500 meters (1,600 feet) high. This canyon is a natural gateway for crossing the Sierra Morena into Andalusia from the north.
Main Mountain Ranges of Sierra Morena
The Sierra Morena is made up of many smaller mountain ranges. Here are some of the main ones, listed from east to west:
- Sierra del Relumbrar, with peaks like Cerro de Pilas Verdes (1,151 m)
- Sierra Madrona or Sierra de Madrona, home to Bañuela (1,323 m)
- Sierra de Almadén
- Sierra de Alcudia, including Navalmarcos (1,057 m)
- Sierra de Tentudía, also called Sierra de Tudía, with Pico de Tentudía (1,104 m)
- Sierra Vieja, also known as Sierra de Feria
- Sierra Grande de Hornachos, also called Sierra de Hornachos
- Sierra del Pedroso, near the Zújar River
- Sierra de Maria Andrés
- Sierra de Alconera
- Sierra de los Pedroches
- Sierra de Peñaladrones, near Bélmez
- Sierra Albarrana, a lower range near Hornachuelos
- Sierra de la Marianta, close to Villanueva del Rey
- Sierra de los Santos, west of the Guadiato River
- Sierra de la Aguja, near Fuente Obejuna
- Sierra de Andújar, with the Virgen de la Cabeza shrine
- Sierra de Cardeña, including Pico Colmena (828 m)
- Sierra de Montoro, with Cerro Pingajo (805 m)
- Sierra de los Calderones, home to Cerro de la Estrella (1,298 m)
- Sierra Norte de Sevilla, with Cerro de La Capitana (960 m)
- Sierra de Aracena, including Cerro del Castaño (962 m)
- Picos de Aroche
A Look at Sierra Morena's Past
The Sierra Morena mountains have rich deposits of metals like copper, gold, silver, iron, and lead. People have been mining these metals here since ancient times. The ancient Iberians used the mountain passes to travel between the high plateau and the Guadalquivir basin.
In the past, these wild mountains were also known as a hiding place for bandits and highwaymen. To make the area safer and more populated, a project called Nuevas Poblaciones de Andalucía y Sierra Morena was started in 1767. During the reign of Charles III of Spain, families from Germany, Switzerland, and Flanders were brought in to settle the area around La Carolina. One main goal was to create safe places for travelers to stop.
A famous story from this region is about Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja. He was a child born in Añora who lived alone in the Sierra Morena, in what is now the Sierra de Cardeña y Montoro Natural Park. His amazing experience was even made into a film called "Entre lobos."
Sierra Morena During the Spanish Civil War
The Sierra Morena was an important location during the Spanish Civil War. Many battles and small fights happened here.
One famous event was the battle of Cerro Muriano in August 1936. This battle is known because of the iconic photograph of a "falling militiaman" taken by Robert Capa. This picture became a symbol of the tragic events of the war for the Spanish Republic.
Later in the war, the Battle of Valsequillo (also called 'Battle of Peñarroya') took place in the western part of the range. This battle involved the Extremaduran Army and happened between January and February 1939.
Sierra Morena in Books and Stories
The Sierra Morena appears in many famous books.
- In the novel Don Quixote, Sancho Panza suggests the mountains as a safe place for Don Quixote to hide. They escape into the Sierra Morena, where Don Quixote thinks about what it means to be a knight.
- In Voltaire's story Candide, the main characters stop here while escaping from Lisbon.
- Nikolay Karamzin wrote a story called "Sierra-Morena" in 1793, which tells a love story set in the mountains.
- The wild landscape of Sierra Morena was also the setting for many mysterious events in Jan Potocki's book The Manuscript Found in Saragossa.
Wildlife and Nature in Sierra Morena
The Sierra Morena is a very important place for wildlife. It is one of the last places where the endangered Iberian lynx lives.
Other amazing animals you might find here include:
- The Iberian wolf (though it was declared regionally extinct in 2019)
- Wild boar
- Red deer
- The Spanish imperial eagle
- The Golden eagle
- The Iberian ribbed newt, a type of amphibian that lives in wells and ponds.
In 2015, the National Geographic Channel even made a documentary film about the wildlife in this region.
Protected Natural Areas
Many parts of the Sierra Morena are protected to keep their nature safe. These include several natural parks:
- Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park
- Sierra Norte de Sevilla Natural Park
- Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park
- Sierra de Cardeña and Montoro Natural Park
- Sierra de Andújar Natural Park
- Despeñaperros Natural Park
- Peñas de Aroche Natural Site
- Sierra Pelada and Rivera del Aserrador Natural Site
- Cascada de la Cimbarra Natural Site
Images for kids
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Pass to Sierra Morena at Calatrava la Nueva
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Bembézar Dam in the Sierra de Hornachuelos
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View of Sierra de Andújar
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View of Nacedero Valley, Sierra Madrona
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La Cimbarra waterfall
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Snow in Venta del Charco, Sierra de Cardeña
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Sierra de Aracena above Alajar village
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The Yeguas River that separates the two ranges of Sierra de Montoro and Sierra de Cardeña
See also
In Spanish: Sierra Morena para niños
- Dehesa (pastoral management)
- Despeñaperros
- Geography of Spain
- Geology of the Iberian Peninsula
