Fageda d’en Jordà (The Jordan’s beech wood, Catalonia)
I have wanted to visit this beech wood for a long time, but the trip somehow always seemed to get postponed. Now, after a brief visit, I can see what has attracted so many others and will go back there again and again.
I went there with the hope to capture beautiful fall photos, but the forest was still green. However, the trip was still a success; I came away with many gorgeous photos and a greater knowledge of another piece of Catalonia.
The forest is unique; it grew over the lava flow from the Croscat volcano and is dotted with small hills of variable sizes, known locally as “tossols.” The high temperature lava flowed over a wetland, evaporating all moisture upon contact. The steam entered the lava, distorting and eventually cracking the partially solidified crust. The result is the varying bulges on the landscape we can see, covered with fragments of basalt.
The famous poet Joan Maragall was also inspired by this forest and wrote this poem:
| La fageda d’en Jordà Original version (In Catalan) |
The Jordan’s Beech Wood Translated version |
| Saps on és la fageda d’en Jordà? Si vas pels volts d’Olot, amunt del pla, trobaràs un indret verd i pregon com mai més n’hagis trobat al món: un verd com d’aigua endins, pregon i clar; el verd de la fageda d’en Jordà. El caminant, quan entra en aquest lloc, comença a caminar-hi poc a poc; compta els seus passos en la gran quietud s’atura, i no sent res, i està perdut. Li agafa un dolç oblit de tot el món en el silenci d’aquell lloc pregon, i no pensa en sortir o hi pensa en va: és pres de la fageda d’en Jordà, presoner del silenci i la verdor. Oh companyia! Oh deslliurant presó! |
Do you know where the Jordan’s beech is? If you go around Olot up the plan, find a place deep green and never found overturned in the world: as a green water inside, deep and clear; the green of the beech in Jordan. The walk on entering the site, it begins to walk slowly; has his steps in the great stillness stops and does not feel anything, and is lost. It takes a sweet oblivion of the world in the silence of that deep, and not thinking out there and think about it: is made of beech wood in the Jordan prisoner of silence and greenery. Company Oh! Oh freeing prisoners |
If you have the opportunity, it is certainly worth a visit. The forest is spectacular and it is part of the Natural Park of the Volcanic Zone of the Garrotxa Territory.
Do not forget to download your free wallpaper of this photo!
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