Mountain range in Andalusia, Spain
The
Sierra Sur de Jaen
(Southern Range of Jaen) is a
mountain range
that is part of the central belt of the
Baetic System
,
Andalusia
,
Spain
. Its name derives from its location in the southwestern part of
Jaen Province
. The highest summit in the range is 1,872 m high
Pico Pandera
; 1,722 m high
Cerro de la Cruz
is another notable peak.
This range gives its name to an administrative comarca in the region, the
Sierra Sur de Jaen Comarca
,
[1]
as well as to the
wine of the area
, the
Sierra Sur de Jaen (DO)
.
[2]
Geography
[
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The Sierra Sur de Jaen is located in the area where the
Subbaetic System
is overlapping with the
Prebaetic System
. The latter begins east of
Martos
.
The Sierra Sur includes the subranges of
Sierra de la Pandera
, the
Sierra de Ventisqueros
,
[3]
the
Sierra del Trigo
and the
Sierra Caracolera
, among others. The neighboring range of
Sierra Magina
is located to the east of Sierra Sur de Jaen.
Most of the lower slopes and
intermontane basins
of the range are covered with
olive groves
. Some of the undisturbed higher slopes and hidden valleys of the mountains have preserved the original
Mediterranean forest
cover with
Yew
,
Portuguese Oak
,
Holm Oak
and
Juniper
trees. The highest altitudes of the range are mostly denuded of forest and thorny
shrubland
predominates. The mountaintops are usually covered with snow in the winter.
[4]
Otinar
is a zone of the range that includes ancient ruins and caves set in valleys among relatively unspoilt
wilderness
. It was declared
Bien de Interes Cultural
in 2009.
[5]
Geology
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]
The ranges of the Sierra Sur de Jaen, as well as the
Sierra de Segura
were formed during the
Mesozoic
. The geological materials that compose them were formed in a relatively shallow sea and are mainly made up of
Cenozoic
sedimentary rocks
, including
limestone
,
dolomite
and
marl
.
[6]
Towards the east of the Sierra Sur de Jaen another mountainous subsystem begins, the
Prebaetic System
, an offshoot of the Subbaetic System stretching further northeastwards.
[7]
See also
[
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]
References
[
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]
External links
[
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]