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NIO M O UN IM D R T IA A L • P • W L O A I R D L D N H O E M R I E TA IN G O E • PATRIM United Nations Pyrénées - Mont Perdu Educational, Scientific and inscribed on the World PyreneesMonte Perdido Cultural Organization Heritage List in 1997 UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE NATURAL LANDSCAPE | CULTURAL LANDSCAPE 1 PirineosMonte Perdido UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE NIO M O UN IM D R T IA A L • P • W L O A I R D L D N H O E M R I E TA IN G O E • PATRIM United Nations Pyrénées - Mont Perdu Educational, Scientific and inscribed on the World Cultural Organization Heritage List in 1997 NATURAL LANDSCAPE | CULTURAL LANDSCAPE The Ordesa Valley | The Añisclo Canyon | The Escuaín Gorges | The Pineta Valley | The Gavarnie cirque | The Estaubé cirque | The Troumouse cirque | The Barroude cirque www.pirineosmonteperdido.com 2 A few words about World Heritage spectacular geo-diversity and key places ¿What does it mean to be en- to fully understand the Pyrenees’ for- listed as a World Heritage site? mation, making it worthy of World Her- itage status, the site is centred around World Heritage is a designation award- the summit of Monte Perdido at 3348 ed to locations or properties, situated Mts, and covering an area of 30639 Hect- anywhere in the world, which hold ex- ares, it boasts exceptional landscapes of ceptional universal value. As such, they meadows, lakes, caves and forests over are registered under the protection of its alpine slopes. the World Heritage List so that future generations can continue to enjoy them. The Spanish side of the site is also part of These places and properties, whether the Ordesa-Viñamala Biosphere Reserve they are cultural, natural or both of the and the Sobrarbe-Pirineos UNESCO above, are as diverse and unique as the World Geopark, thus making it a holder Great Pyramids of Egypt, the Austra- of the UNESCO triple crown. The three lian Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos UNESCO bodies come together on this Islands in Ecuador, the Taj Mahal of In- part of the site. dia, the Grand Canyon in the USA or the Acropolis of Greece. The settling of human beings in the region goes back to prehistoric times, since at least the early Neolithic period (7000 BC). World Heritage sites belong to everyone on The Pyrenees-Monte Perdido The archaeological sites at Añisclo and site. Escuaín, Coro Trásito, Góriz, the stone cir- the planet, irrespective of their location. cles of Gavarnie, Batanes and Gurrundué Shared by France and Spain, the Pyre- and the dolmen at Tella all bear witness nees - Monte Perdido limestone massif is to them as well as the Cave art of Añisclo carved out in classic geological forms, in and Fanlo. particular deep canyons in the south on the Spanish side, and spectacular cirques These villages were at the heart of a pas- to the north on the French side. With toralist system based on the moving of 4 5 Monte Perdido’s valleys livestock, (sheep, cattle and horses) up to the mountain pastures over the summer and their passes served months, in sharp contrast to the use of the surrounding lower lands. The Monte as links between the Perdido valleys and their paths served as links between the communities, who had two communities. more in common with each other than their equivalent neighbours at lower al- titudes. On both sides of the Pyrenean mountain range the villages managed to conquer the “insurmountable wall” and strike up exchanges, alliances, trade agreements and cultural links based on peace and solidarity. The exploitation of high pastures like those of Gaulis and Ossoue is an unmis- takeable testament to transhumance. It is one of the only places in Europe where it has been continued for centuries to the present day thanks to ancient agree- ments. Since at least the 12th Century, the Ber- natuara pass and tarn have played host to an extraordinary phenomenon. Every year, Spanish shepherds from the Broto Valley, herd their livestock to France with a flock of more than 1000 sheep, cross- ing over the pass at nearly 2270 mts in altitude. the French side to the Aragonese shep- deserving of its place on the World Heri- In fact, the cross border agreements on herds during the summer months. It’s an tage List as a cultural landscape. pastures which date from the 13th Cen- unusual and very much living example of This practice strengthens the cross-bor- tury, award ownership of the grass on why the Pyrenees–Monte Perdido site is so der character of the World Heritage Site. 6 7 The Ordesa Valley is characterized The Ordesa Valley by its sheer vertical walls and the seams that plough through them. The River Arazas, which springs from the very heart of the Monte Perdido mountain range, also known as the “Tres-Serols”, is the origin of what is undoubtedly the best known and most visited valley on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees. One of Europe’s deepest can- yons, its origins are glacial, as is clear Thanks to a large number from its characteristic “U-shaped” sec- of itineraries of varying tion profile. The receding of the glacier difficulty, you can explore and at the end of the last ice age exposed walk around most areas of different types of relief, such as cirques Pyrenees-Monte Peridot site. like the one at Soaso, or vertical walls like the Tozal del Mallo, Tobacor or Gallinero. The total length of the valley is 13 km, from the Góriz cirque to the “Puente de los Navarros”. We are right at the The area is surrounded by forests of from the villages of Torla-Ordesa or from heart of the Ordesa and Monte Perdido Scots Pine that flourish on the sunny Nerín. National Park,one of the world’s first, slopes, Beech trees that are found in the created thanks to the educational and shadier spots and Fir and Black Pine up Situated at the foot of the Mondarruego conservationist work of Lucien Briet and on the highest, rockiest climbs. in Torla-Ordesa you will find an Ethno- Pedro Pidal in 1918. logical museum and the Ordesa and Mon- During Easter week and from mid June te Perdido National Park visitor centre. Ordesa is furrowed with high plateaus until the end of September, access to Or- like those of Las Flores or Pelay. Water desa is limited. Buses take walkers and Broto is home to many monuments and is omnipresent, with a succession of wa- visitors from the village of Torla-Ordesa natural landscapes among which are terfalls such the Cola de Caballo or the up to the Ordesa meadows. The valley the medieval bridge and prison and the Gradas de Soaso, El Estrecho,La Cueva, can also be experienced from the sum- Sorrosal waterfall, one of the Sobrarbe Arripas, Abetos, Tamborrotera and Mo- mits of its southern end, thanks to a se- Pyrenees World Geopark’s places of geo- linieto. ries of exceptional view points accessible logical interest. 8 9 The Bujaruelo Valley marks the west- The Añisclo Canyon ern edge of the Pyrenees–Monte Perdido area. It also belongs to the outer pro- tection zone of the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park, as well as the Or- Añisclo’s morphology is glacial in its desa-Viñamala Biosphere reserve. The upper reaches and fluvial in its lower total length of the valley is 20 Km, from stretches. The summits of the Monte the glacial cirque where the River Ara Perdido range and the Zucas sierra or begins at the foot of the Vignemale o Co- Tres Marias are separated by this grandi- machibosa (3303 mts), to the “Puente de ose canyon that runs for 20 Km. los Navarros”. It’s one of the main com- munication routes for people living on From the bottom of the gorge where the both sides through the pass at “Puerto River Bellós runs, between pools and wa- de Bujaruelo”, over which have passed terfalls, looking upwards can be quite a pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago, dizzying experience. The sheer walls that smugglers, Pyrenean mountaineers and make up its sides are simply breathtaking. shepherds throughout its history. Among the more remarkable features of note are those of the Sierra Custodia, the Pico Mondoto or Sestrales, among others. Down in the Añisclo Canyon are the San Úrbez bridge and the hermitage, thor- oughly magical places. From the bottom of the gorge between river pools and waterfalls, glancing up can be a dizzying experience. 10 11 The Rivers Aso, Yesa and Bellós flow The Escuaín Gorge across the Vió Valley, whose prime loca- tion in the upper part of the valley gives The landscapes it magnificent panoramic views. Vió, with its small collection of traditional buildings here are lends its name to the valley. Close by to At the foot of the Tres Marías the villag- gorge. This is a karstic landscape whose this village is Buerba, with its beautiful tra- carved out es of Escuaín and Revilla are perched up features have been carved out over time ditional Aragonese chimneys. Fanlo still high either side of the banks of the Ri- by limestone water erosion. The quater- boasts several grand old houses, two of by limestone ver Yaga which cuts through the Escuain nary glaciers have also left their mark, which have towers and are classified as particularly at the Gurrundué cirque properties of cultural interest. errosion. which is a natural paradise for the Lam- mergeier and the Golden Eagle.

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