Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park

The national park was created to protect the high mountain topography of Monte Perdido and the Pyrenees. The region is dominated by limestone, with karst formations such as karren, sinkholes, and caves.{{cite journal |last1=García-Ruiz |first1=José M. |last2=Valero-Garcés |first2=Blas L. |last3=Beguería |first3=Santiago |last4=López-Moreno |first4=Juan I. |last5=Martí-Bono |first5=Carlos |last6=Serrano-Muela |first6=Pilar |last7=Sanjuan |first7=Yasmina |title=The Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park, Central Pyrenees |journal=Landscapes and Landforms of Spain |series=World Geomorphological Landscapes |date=2014 |pages=165–172 |doi=10.1007/978-94-017-8628-7_14|hdl=10261/108112 |isbn=978-94-017-8627-0 |hdl-access=free }} The limestone originated from the Cretaceous and Eocene periods. Tectonic uplift has created deep canyons, and, during the Quaternary, repeated glaciations carved cirques and large U-shaped valleys.

The climate is typically Pyrenean. The difference in altitude from 750 meters at the entrance of the Añisclo canyon to 3,355 meters at Monte Perdido, and the orientation of each valley, results in large variations in humidity and temperature between day and night. Thermal inversions that are reflected in the distribution of vegetation floors. There is a variable regime of valley and mountain winds.

At elevations up to 1,000–1,700 meters, there are extensive forests of beeches (Fagus sylvatica), Abies alba, pines (Pinus sylvestris), oaks (Quercus subpyrenaica), and a lesser extent of birches (Betula pendula), ashes (Fraxinus excelsior), and willows (Salix angustifolia). At higher elevations up to 1,700 meters, the mountain pine (Pinus uncinata) dominates. From 700 to 1,800 meters, bushes of boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) are found. In the high meadows from 1,700 to 3,000 meters, there are numerous endemisms including Borderea pyrenaica, Campanula cochleariifolia, Ramonda myconi, Silene borderei, Androsace cylindrica, Pinguicula longifolia, Petrocoptis crassifolia, etc. The edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum) is one of the symbols of the National Park.

The most important species of the Park was the bucardo or Pyrenean ibex, which went extinct in January 2000 in spite of preservation efforts. The Pyrenean chamois is a type of goat antelope. Other species include the alpine marmot, boar, and the Pyrenean desman or water-mole (Galemys pyrenaicus), as well as raptors like the golden eagle, the bearded vulture, the griffon vulture, hawks, and the Eurasian eagle-owl.

Many illustrious persons have been fond of the places in this region and have extolled their virtues. Luciano Briet, Soler i Santaló and Lucas Mallada y Pueyo helped promote the reputation of the region and obtain protected status for it.

An area of 21 square kilometres containing the Ordesa Valley was declared a National Park on 16 August 1918 by a Royal Decree. On 13 July 1982, it was enlarged to its current 156.08  square kilometres, and its official name was changed to Parque nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido.

File:Macizo perdido.jpg|Cirque de Soaso, with Cilindro de Marboré, Monte Perdido and Soum de Ramond (left to right)

File:La breche de roland 2.jpg|North face of La Brèche de Roland

File:Ordesa National Park Northwest face of Cirque of Soaso.jpg|Northwest face of Cirque of Soaso

File:Cirque de Cotatuero, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Spain.jpg|Cirque de Cotatuero

File:Arazas river fall 3, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Spain.jpg|Arazas river fall, Ordesa valley

File:Arazas river, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Spain.jpg|Entrance to the Ordesa Valley, Arazas river

File:Cirque of Soaso waterfall, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Spain.jpg|Cirque of Soaso and Horse Tail (Cola del Caballo)

File:Entrance to Ordesa Valley from Torla, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Spain.jpg|Entrance to Ordesa Valley from Torla

File:Punta Tobacor, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Spain.jpg|Punta Tobacor (2,779 m)

File:Forest inside Ordesa Valley, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Spain.jpg|Path inside the park, Ordesa valley

File:WLE - 2020 - Parque nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido - 04.jpg

• {{cite book|author=BENITO ALONSO, José Luis|title=Vegetación del Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido (Sobrarbe, Pirineo central aragonés). 421 pp + Mapa de vegetación 1:40.000|year=2006|publisher=Zaragoza: Serie Investigación, nº 50. Consejo de Protección de la Naturaleza de Aragón. Gobierno de Aragón|isbn=84-89862-54-0|url=http://www.jolube.es/Editorial_Jolube/Vegetacion_PNOMP.php}}
• {{cite book|author=BENITO ALONSO, José Luis|title=Catálogo florístico del Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido (Sobrarbe, Pirineo central aragonés)|year=2006|publisher=Lérida: Colección Pius Font i Quer, n.º 4. 391 pp. Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs. Diputación de Lérida|isbn=84-89943-88-5|url=http://www.jolube.es/Editorial_Jolube/Flora_PNOMP.php}}
• {{cite book|author=BENITO ALONSO, José Luis|title=Wild Flowers of Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park (Spanish Pyrenees)|year=2014|publisher=Jolube Consultor Botánico y Editor, Jaca (Huesca): Colección Essential Guides of Flora, nº 1. 96 color pages. |isbn=9788494356162|url=http://www.jolube.es/Editorial_Jolube/Guia_PNOMP_INGLES.php}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido}}

• [http://reddeparquesnacionales.mma.es/parques/ordesa/index.htm Official website, from the Spanish Ministry of Environment]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080819201157/http://www.glaciares.org/ Information on the glaciers of the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park]
• [http://www.birdinginspain.com/sites-and-itineraries/ordesa-national-park/birding-in-ordesa-national-park.html Birding itinerary and sounds of Ordesa National Park]

{{National parks of Spain}}

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Category:National parks of Spain

Category:Protected areas of the Pyrenees

Category:Protected areas of Aragon

Category:Canyons and gorges of Spain

Category:Protected areas established in 1918

Category:Biosphere reserves of Spain

Category:Landforms of Aragon

Category:1918 establishments in Spain

Category:Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests