Puig Cardener (or written as Puigcardener) is the hill made of stratified sandstone that the Cardener river outlines on the south and the stream of Sant Ignasi on the east, and that is topped by the gothic cathedral of Santa Maria de la Seu de Manresa. Puig Cardener is the outstanding, bright place with large views and two self-protected steep slopes where, once upon a time, a first settlement originated the city of Manresa. Puig Cardener is also a border bastion of the hard, light-coloured, Eocene rocks of marine origin that spread towards the southwest; a few hundred meters to the north, in the square of Sant Domènec or in Puig Mercadal that is topped by the church of Carme, the rock is already of continental origin and reddish colour, generally not so hard and therefore not prone to such abrupt cliffs.
Two thicker and harder layers of the sandstone rock of Puig Cardener has led to the carving of two levels of natural shelters surrounding the steep slopes facing to Cardener river and Sant Ignasi stream. These shelters are not very safe, so they have been reinforced with walls. The Camí dels Corrals (= path of livestock places), from square of La Reforma to avenue of Sant Ignasi, goes on the foot of the lower level of shelters. These small caves have been used as emergency shelter and as a chamber to close livestock, hence the name of Camí dels Corrals. The solemnity of La Seu de Manresa on top contrasts with the humility of the natural shelters below.
[photo Jordi Badia]