Tajos de Mogarejo

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The Tajos de Mogarejo, an area of great scenic value declared a Natural Monument by the Department of the Environment of the Junta de Andalucía, are a large depression in the terrain, in a predominantly flat area, forming a gorge with steep walls over 30 m in height, inside which are created ideal conditions for the development of unique vegetation, very different from that of the surrounding area. The Tajos have been gouged out by the Salado de Morón, a stream that runs through the municipality of Montellano from east to west. In this area, the stream runs between limestone and carbonate sandstone, which have undergone processes of micro-modelling in the walls of the escarpments, leading to the formation of holes or spherical concavities called taffoni, or alveoli if they are smaller in diameter.

The catchment area of the stream preserves the remains of scrub and Mediterranean forest species: carob tree, fan palm, rosemary, rockrose and mastic among others. The vegetation at the bottom of the gorge consists of a great diversity of Mediterranean forest and riverside forest species, tamarisk and carob tree being two of the most common. The surrounding vegetation, outside the gorge, is quite sparse, creating a sharp contrast with the vegetation at the bottom of the gorge.

In addition to the great landscape, geological and biological value, the Tajos de Mogarejo have a rich cultural heritage formed by archaeological sites, the remains of an old flour mill, a 17th century bridge and abandoned quarries, from which large quantities of sandstone and limestone were extracted and used mainly as construction material for buildings in Seville and its province.

Region

Sierra Sur