Monfragüe National Park
| Monfragüe National Park | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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A view of the Salto del Gitano
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| Location | Extremadura |
| Coordinates | 39°50′27″N 6°01′48″W / 39.84083°N 6.03000°WCoordinates: 39°50′27″N 6°01′48″W / 39.84083°N 6.03000°W |
| Area | 179 km2 (69 sq mi) |
| Established | 2007 |
| Visitors | 331,788 (in 2008) |
Monfragüe (Spanish: Parque Nacional Monfragüe) is a Spanish national park noted for its bird-life. It is situated in the center of a triangle formed by Plasencia, Trujillo and the city of Cáceres within the province of Cáceres. Monfragüe is also a comarca (county, with no administrative role) of Extremadura, western Spain.
Monfragüe is a comarca in Spain, i.e. a county, with no administrative role in Extremadura, western Spain.
Monfragüe is famous for its national park by the same name, which is noted for its bird-life. It is situated in the center of a triangle formed by Plasencia, Trujillo and the city of Cáceres within the province of Cáceres. The park runs from east to west along the valley of the River Tagus or Tajo. which cut through a long mountainous ridge, and created a rock face, the Peña Falcon, 'falcon rock' on the western side. On the eastern side is the Castle of Monfragüe. The River Tietar enters the park from the north-east and joins the Tagus just to the east of Peña Falcon. The only village in the park is Villareal de San Carlos (population 28). The park occupies an area of 18.118 hectares.
The area´s and the Park´s name comes from the Roman "Monsfragorum", monte fragoso (Spanish) which means "rocky mountain".
The mountains of Monfragüe house a great number of caves with prehistoric paintings from the copper age, bronze age and iron age for example the "Cueva del Castillo", located on the south face of the Sierra de las Corchuelas. Around the Park are remains of pre-Roman times. In Miravete remnants of an old castle exist, and in Malpartida de Plasencia there is an estate known as "El Calamoco". A warrior stele found in Torrejón el Rubio and the Treasury of Serradilla are evidence of a highly hierarchical agricultural society inhabiting this area.
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Wikipedia