Cova del Gat

Cova del Gat is a small archaeological cave located in the municipality of Figuerola del Camp, in the Alt Camp region of Catalonia. It sits on the grounds of the Mas d'en Llop farmstead, roughly four kilometres from the village centre, and is listed in Catalonia's Inventory of Archaeological and Palaeontological Heritage.

What is this place?

The cave's entrance is only about a metre wide and partly shielded by large limestone blocks, making it easy to miss unless you already know where to look. People used the cave as far back as the Eneolithic period (Copper Age): excavations show it served as a collective burial site around 2000 BC, at the transition between the Copper Age and the early Bronze Age.

The site was first studied scientifically in 1934 by Catalan archaeologist Salvador Vilaseca, who classified it as an Eneolithic-period burial cave. Later rescue excavations, carried out in 2006 and 2009, confirmed and expanded on this picture, producing new data on the cave's continued use as a burial place into the early Bronze Age.

What has been found inside?

Archaeological work at Cova del Gat has uncovered a substantial set of grave goods: pottery fragments decorated with cord impressions and button motifs, flint tools including knives and awls, bone implements, arrowheads, and pieces of necklaces. This kind of funerary equipment is typical of prehistoric communities that inhabited inland Catalonia during this period, and it lets archaeologists reconstruct burial customs and craft skills from the Copper Age and early Bronze Age in the Alt Camp region.

How do you get there?

Cova del Gat lies in the rural countryside surrounding Figuerola del Camp, a few kilometres from the village centre, amid the fields and low limestone hills typical of inland Catalonia. Because of its archaeological importance, the cave is not open for casual visits. Anyone wanting to see it can request the key from the Figuerola del Camp town hall (Ajuntament) — this is the standard procedure for accessing the site.

When should you visit?

Given the setting — a small cave in open farmland with no visitor infrastructure — spring or autumn is the best time, when temperatures around Tarragona are mild and walking across the fields isn't hampered by summer heat or winter rain. It's worth contacting the town hall in advance to confirm key availability and arrange a suitable time.

Why visit Cova del Gat?

This isn't a polished tourist attraction with marked trails and signage — it's a genuine, still-studied archaeological site that offers a direct window into the lives and burial customs of communities who lived in this landscape roughly four thousand years ago. For anyone interested in Catalonia's prehistory and field archaeology, it's a rare chance to see a Copper Age burial site in its natural, largely undisturbed setting.

Frequently asked questions

Is the cave open to visitors? Not on a walk-in basis — the cave is kept closed, but the key can be borrowed from the Figuerola del Camp town hall.

What was found inside Cova del Gat? Pottery fragments with cord decoration, flint and bone tools, arrowheads, and necklace pieces, all linked to burials from the Eneolithic and early Bronze Age.

Who first studied the cave? Catalan archaeologist Salvador Vilaseca in 1934, followed by rescue excavations in 2006 and 2009.

How far is the cave from the centre of Figuerola del Camp? About four kilometres, on the grounds of the Mas d'en Llop farmstead.