Ogassa – Mining History and Mountain Landscapes

Ogassa combines a local history shaped by coal mining with Romanesque churches, routes and geological sites. Its varied themes give you a practical starting point for planning your trip: if you are especially interested in its mining history, the former transport routes and their traces take centre stage. The churches and landscape offer other points of focus. If you are looking for a hotel in Ogassa, consider which aspects of the town are of particular interest to you during your stay.

Mining and Former Transport Routes

The Surroca coal mines were worked from the end of the 18th century and remained in operation until they closed in 1967. The Ogassa mines were a major reason the railway reached Ripollès. The cable-car station near Ca l’Armengol is also part of the history of coal transport: it opened in 1940 as a new solution for moving coal. A museum created by local residents is dedicated to the miners’ work and the production of coal briquettes.

The Via de Baix is a route that brings together several traces of the area’s industrial history. It follows a former mining-tramway line to the inclined plane at Meseta de Baix. Along the way, it passes the remains of the Balaguer cement factory, where the chimney and bag-filling facilities are visible. The route also leads to the remains of the house at Meseta de Baix. This means the route highlights not only individual structures, but also the course of a former transport link.

The circular route along the former mining-tramway lines follows the old connection between the centre of Ogassa and Toralles station. The Ruta del Ferro i del Carbó offers another link to mining: it follows the former railway line associated with coal production in the Ogassa mines. The routes have different points of focus, from specific structural remains to the former connection between mining and the railway.

Routes and Mountain Landscapes

The route through Serra Cavallera can be completed on foot or, in part, in a mountain vehicle. The Camí de Vidabona runs mostly through Ogassa. Both offer a different perspective on the routes in the municipality than those whose descriptions are directly linked to former coal production. Taga reaches an elevation of 2,035 metres and is another prominent feature of the mountain landscape.

A route along the Torrent de la Font Gran also combines a walk with a specific natural site. It follows the stream and passes Font Gran, where water emerges from underground in an enclosed area. Tall Obert de Can Camps is home to Ogassa’s most important fossil site, with a great variety of fossils. Collecting fossils is prohibited there. This geological feature can therefore be included in your travel plans without mistaking it for a place where collecting is allowed.

Churches and Local Traditions

Sant Martí d’Ogassa dates from the 10th century, stands at an elevation of 1,370 metres and lies on the route to Coll de Jou. Sant Martí de Surroca dates from the 11th century and is located in the northeast of the municipality, on the route to Coll de Pal. The two churches differ in both their period of construction and location. If you are interested in the history of Romanesque architecture, they offer two specific historic points of interest in Ogassa.

Local traditions include the traditional Ball de Sant Ferriol, performed by the youngest children. Together with the museum dedicated to mining and the historic routes, this cultural aspect broadens the picture beyond industrial history. When deciding how to spend your trip, you can consider whether you would rather explore Ogassa through its mining past, churches, mountain landscapes or a combination of these themes.

Discover more destinations: Palol d'Onyar, Susqueda, El Cros, Massanes, Sant Feliu De Pallerols, Sant Pere Pescador, Beget, Albons.

For the broader travel overview: Girona.