English

Anella Mediterrània

'L'Anella Mediterrània' (The Mediterranean Ring), created for the 2017 Games, today flourishes as a natural garden within the city. Its large artificial lagoon collects rainwater and has given life to its own ecosystem: a small wetland where plant and animal species typical of the Mediterranean environment coexist. Poplars, ash trees and tamarisks grow among the vegetation, while the edges are covered with yellow lilies, boga and reed beds. Birds such as the mallard duck, the common coot and the European tufted duck glide over the water, and butterflies and dragonflies flutter along its banks, indicators of the good health of the ecosystem. This living garden recalls the natural wealth of the Mediterranean, one of the territories with the most biodiversity on the planet, but also one of the most threatened. For this reason, the ring has become an ecological and educational refuge, where every plant and every bird helps to understand the importance of protecting the life that surrounds us.

Les Ferreres Aqueduct or 'Pont del Diable'

The Ferreres aqueduct or 'Pont del Diable' (Devil’s Bridge) is a work of Roman hydraulic engineering probably built in the 1st century AD to guarantee the water supply to Tarraco, at a time of urban expansion and growing importance as the provincial capital. The bridge is part of the long Francolí aqueduct, which carried water to the city through a channel (specus) with a very controlled slope. The structure stands out for its two rows of semicircular arches, reaching a length of 217 meters and a maximum height of 27 meters. Over time, 'Pont del Diable' (Devil’s Bridge) has become a heritage symbol for its monumentality, state of conservation and the weight of the legends that accompany it. The estate was embellished in the 19th and early 20th centuries by the Puig i Valls brothers, who created a romantic garden there with pedagogical and environmental awareness purposes. The monument, declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest (BCIN) and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2000, is today one of the most emblematic elements of the archaeological complex of Tarraco.

Assets

Bonavista –Anella Mediterrània – Horta gran – Serrallo – Tamarit

Marquesa forest

Tamarit Beach Bunker

The Tamarit Beach Bunker is located at the eastern end of Altafulla beach, next to the the area enclosed by the walls, known as 'the vil·la closa' and near the mouth of the Gaià River. Built in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, it was part of the Republican coastal defense network, designed to protect the coast and communication routes against possible enemy landings. Strategically integrated with the rock of the hill, it allowed effective control of the coastline within a defensive line that included several surveillance points and bunkers along the Catalan coast. The nest, made of concrete, iron and stone, has a rectangular floor plan with an entrance gallery and five loopholes for rifles, in addition to three for machine guns. Today it is preserved in reasonably good condition, despite the erosion and aging of the materials, and constitutes a heritage witness to the militarization of the coast during the Civil War. The space offers opportunities for heritage education and historical memory, allowing visitors to reflect on the conflict, the culture of peace and the importance of preserving historical elements for future generations.

Gaià Rock's bunker

The Gaià Rock's bunker is located on Altafulla beach, next to the mouth of the Gaià river, on a strategic cliff between Platja de la Móra and Tamarit. Built during the Spanish Civil War, it was part of the network of Republican fortifications to prevent Francoist landings and defend the coast against air and sea attacks. Its elevated position provided visibility over the mouth and the coastline, allowing effective control of the territory. It is a double machine gun nest with a solid roof, narrow entrance, air vents and secondary nests with loopholes, built with reinforced concrete, wood and iron, taking advantage of the topography for defense. Designed to house two machine guns with 1-2 soldiers per nest, it was connected to a rear trench. Despite the modifications and graffiti, it retains much of the original structure. The bunker constitutes a valuable testimony to the militarization of the Catalan coastline, offering an educational resource on the Republican coastal defense and the memory of the Civil War, while allowing reflection on peace, tolerance and the history of maritime conflicts such as the attack by the Italian submarine Galileo Ferraris on the merchant Navarra.

Francoli Path

Ferran Castle

Ferran Castle, located between Tamarit and Altafulla, stands on a hill on the banks of the Gaià River, visually dominating the territory. Its origins date back to approximately the 11th century, in the context of the feudal expansion of the Catalan counties. The first documents from the 12th and 13th centuries link it to noble families and later to the Archbishopric of Tarragona, although its specific defensive function is not clearly determined. The current building reflects several construction phases with Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance elements, formed by a main body with a square tower, smaller towers, a battlement, loopholes and annexes, which during the Modern Age was transformed into the stately residence of the Montserrat family, Marquises of Tamarit. Despite the reforms, it retains its historical profile within the cultural landscape of the Camp de Tarragona, showing the evolution of a medieval fortification towards a residential and representative use. Declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest since 1949, it is today private property, maintaining its function as a home, but with visibility from the public road and the rural center.

Tamarit Castle

The castle and the area enclosed by the walls, known as 'the vil·la closa' of Tamarit stand on a coastal promontory at the mouth of the Gaià, in an area that between the 10th and 12th centuries marked the border between the Catalan counties and the territories of al-Andalus. Tamarit consolidated itself as a strategic point of control of the coast, with an active port and agricultural lands. During the Middle Ages, walls, a watchtower and the Romanesque church of Santa Maria were built. The port played an important role in trade and fishing, and the town remained active until the beginning of the Modern Age, despite wars and corsair attacks. From the 16th century onwards, the port fell into decline and the population emigrated, aggravated by the destruction of the castle during The Reapers' War and the depopulation of the 18th and 19th centuries. The complex was reborn at the beginning of the 20th century thanks to the collector Charles Deering, who promoted the restoration of the defensive elements, the church and the gardens. Today, Tamarit is a unique heritage complex, declared a BCIN and integrated into the Area of Natural Interest, with the area enclosed by the walls, known as 'the vil·la closa', the watchtower, the Romanesque church and remains of medieval houses, mainly used for cultural activities and events.

Mouth of the Gaià River - Plana del Vinyet

On the banks of the Gaià River, water shaped a network of mills, ditches and siphons that fed the area's agriculture for centuries. The Mill of el Pas, built in the Middle Ages, harnessed the force of the river to move its millstones and irrigate nearby orchards, creating life around the river. Today, poplars, ash and elm trees once again populate the riverbank forest, while the margallo, mastic and rosemary grow along the paths. Its waters are home to the Mediterranean turtle and the brook turtle, and flying over the river you can see the little egret or the cornelian cherry. The mill and the river recall the close relationship between people and water: a bond that unites history, nature and the future.

Hermitage of Our Lady of Loreto

Mas d'en Sorder - Mas de la Creu - Gurugú - Mas Rafael

Horta Gran

L'Horta Gran de Tarragona is a historic agricultural area of 675 hectares located between the Francolí River, the Via Augusta and the historic centre of the city. Active since Roman times, its agriculture combined cereals, legumes, vegetables and fruit trees, with irrigation derived from the Francolí canals and canals. Initially managed by religious orders and the high nobility, after the confiscations of the 19th century the lands were parcelled out and leased to Tarragona families, maintaining production for self-consumption and urban supply. The hydraulic system, which includes The Mill Water of Els Molins, the Rec Major and the Protectora mine, is one of its most relevant heritage elements, with medieval origins and possible Roman roots. This system guaranteed sustainable irrigation and integrated agricultural, urban and industrial uses, with management regulated by the Junta de Aguas del Río Francolí and subsequent societies. Despite agricultural regression and modern urban pressure, l'Horta Gran preserves a heritage, ecological and social value, with remains of old farmhouses, dry stone banks, lime kilns and ditches. Agroecological recovery initiatives reinforce its potential as a witness to Tarragona's agricultural history and as a space for heritage routes and peri-urban conservation.

Gardens of the Pont del Diable (Devil's Bridge) Eco-Historical Park

The Pont del Diable Eco-Historic Park, located on the outskirts of Tarragona, combines nature, history and architectural heritage. The emblematic 'Pont del Diable' (Devil’s Bridge), a Roman aqueduct from the 1st century AD that carried water from the Francolí to Tarraco, stands out, as well as medieval farmhouses, lime kilns and quarries that show human activity over the centuries. This complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site within the archaeological complex of Tarraco. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the brothers Rafael and Marià Puig i Valls converted the estate into a romantic English garden with itineraries, viewpoints and educational signs about the Mediterranean flora, which combines holm oaks, white pines and orchids with ornamental species. Between 2001 and 2003, the Pont del Diable Workshop School recovered the garden and the guard house, and the City Council has continued the restoration and renaturalization, improving paths, signage and public spaces. Today the park is accessible and safe for walks, educational, cultural and recreational activities, preserving the spirit of respect and appreciation for nature of its founders.

La Móra – Escorpí – Monnars – Llarga beach

La Móra – Mas del Mèdol – Mas d’en Cusidor – Sant Simplici

La Móra - Tamarit - Riu Gaià - Ferran - El Mèdol

Mas d'en Cosidor

The Mas d’en Cosidor, located near the mouth of the Gaià River and the old Roman quarry of Mèdol, is located in a fertile valley suitable for agriculture, with fields of olive trees, carob trees and hazelnut trees. Built between the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century, it combines agricultural exploitation with defensive elements such as a three-story square tower and strategic openings, which protected the complex from looting, bandits and maritime incursions. Although not a complete fortification, the farmhouse responded to the security and land management needs of the time. The Pallarès, Elies, Cosidor and Martí families were key in the development and maintenance of the farmhouse, highlighting figures such as Antoni Martí i Franquès, an enlightened scientist who expanded and managed the family properties. For centuries, the lands were exploited with tenants and sharecroppers, maintaining agricultural activity and dynamizing the area. Currently, the farmhouse is almost completely abandoned, but it retains a significant historical and heritage value as an example of a rural fortified farmhouse. The tower, protected as a BCIN and included in the red list of Hispania Nostra, stands out for its importance for heritage itineraries and the historical memory of the lower Gaià.

Mas d'en Sorder

The history of Mas d’en Sorder is best understood through the people who lived there. The first documented owners belonged to the Juncosa family, one of the lineages that, in the middle of the Middle Ages, promoted the repopulation and cultivation of the territory. Their life revolved around the farmhouse and the defensive tower that guaranteed safety against the dangers of the coast. Over time, new families took over. In the 17th century, the farmhouse appears registered in the name of Pere Puig Roig, representative of generations of farmers who worked these lands, took care of the crops and kept the agricultural activity of the area alive. At the beginning of the 20th century, Mas d’en Sorder changed hands and also its destiny: a new family, with greater economic power, converted the old farmhouse into an elegant summer residence. The commission fell to the architect Josep Maria Pujol de Barberà, who designed a spectacular modernist extension with a dome, porticoed gallery and refined decoration. Today, although the building is in disrepair, the memory of all these families remains present.