La Figuera, Priorat

About the place:

Do you how it feels to be inside a trench? In La Figuera, a small town of the Priorat, you have the opportunity to review a little part of history with the children, visiting one of the key points in the battle of the Ebro, the point from which was drawn the Republican offensive. You won’t need that much imagination to get an idea of how the Army of the Republic, under the command of General Vicente Rojo, planned in 1938, the most daring attack carried out so far during the Civil War. From the tip of the mountain up to 40 kilometers of the river Ebro is visible. And when the sky is clear, men say that you can see six provinces (Tarragona, Lleida, Zaragoza, Castellón, Teruel and Huesca). An ideal place to plan a great movement of troops and watch the developments.

From this trench reinforced with concrete, the soldiers, who watched with binoculars from the loopholes or hidden under a thick branches and bushes, did not fire a single shot. The inhabitants of La Figuera explain that the observation point was so well camouflaged that no plane ever discovered it, and that even when Franco's troops moved quickly through the village in their march to Barcelona, no one realized its existence. The trench is well preserved, and still is accessible by two staircases. If it hadn’t been that, years after the war, one of the mayors of the town sold the iron train beams that covered the observatory, the feeling of entering a time machine would be complete.

A place with good views, where children can try to imagine how one of the most famous battles of the twentieth century must have been. (See pictures)

Direction tips:

The Ebro Observatory is approximately 1.5 km from La Figuera in direction of La Torre del Español. Between km 5 and 6 of the T730 road you'll find a signal to the hermitage of Sant Pau and the Mirador. Take this road until you arrive at the picnic area of the hermitage of Sant Pau. You can park your car at the square. The observatory is 500 meters from the hermitage. You must follow the sign that takes you to a wide track with grave. The route to the observatory has no interest in the landscape itself, although if you like to pick up rosemary you will find a few plants along the road. In about 10 minutes, after you pass two wooden sticks that are on both sides of the path, you will reach the trench and the viewpoint. Here you can enjoy of some panoramic views. Be careful with young children, because the wooden railings that prevent falling in the ravine have wide open spaces.

If you want, you can go into the trenches by taking the stairs you will find on your left side coming from the path. To return to the hermitage, you must take the same way.

The best season:

winter, autumn, summer, spring

Lunch tips:

If you want to have a barbecue you will find some tables and some stonen houses with barbecues at the recreation area of the hermitage Sant Pau. If you prefer to enjoy of homemade meals you can taste the dishes of the Fonda La Figuera, a small but really cozy restaurant.

More info:

Difficulty: very low
Type: linear route
Duration: approx. 20 minutes (two ways without stops)
Distance: approx. 1 km
Accessibility: is accessed by a wide track with no gaps. It is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers although the grave can complicate a little the circulation.
Recommendations: We recommend using comfortable shoes and taking enough water with you.

Photo: © ExploraTgn.cat (See more pictures)