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Pla de Martís
 The Pla de Martis is a large plain situated to the north of Banyoles and is a zone of particular ecological importance which is partially integrated in the Plan de Espacios de Interés Natural (Pein)..
Apart from its ecological interest, the Pla de Martis is also of historical interest. During the Spanish Civil War it was used as airfield for the Republican army. There still remains several underground bunkers which were air raid shelters and indeed the house itself was used to accommodate the officers. During the regime of Franco, it continued to be used as an airfield to defend against possible invasion until it was closed in 1960.
The Lake of Espolla is a curious natural phenomenon that is only a few 100 metres from the house. It only appears during heavy rainfall or in spring/early summer when the snowmelt from the Pyrenees causes the water level in the lake of Banyoles to rise, which pushes the water up to form the lake of Espolla, some 3 km away from lake Banyoles. However, more curious than the lake itself is its inhabitants! Shortly after the lake forms, the Triops or Apus appear, having been lying dormant in the dried mud. These are small prehistoric crustaceans that are thought to exist in only one other lake in the world somewhere in Japan. |
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