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Cultural Importance
To the south, AlmaVerde borders the Parque Natural do Sudoeste
Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, a sparsely populated ecological
preserve of outstanding natural beauty. Created in 1995, the Costa
Vicentina covers an area of 74,785 hectares and runs along 150
kilometres of Atlantic seaboard, forming one of the last true
coastal wildernesses in Europe. Varying in width from two to twenty
kilometres, the Natural Park stretches from Burgau in the south
east as far as São Torpes beach, just south of Sines in
the north west.
It is protected by strict planning controls, with no development
permitted beyond existing urban limits. It also lies within the
recently created Rede Natura 2000, a European-wide network of
habitats for the protection of wildlife.
The Costa Vicentina is characterised by a succession of sandy
and rocky beaches backed by high cliffs, with deep ravines and
seasonal watercourses. It encompasses a diverse array of habitats,
including woodlands of oak, alder and pine, heath, scrub, marshes,
estuaries, enormous sand dune systems, offshore islands and the
ocean floor itself.
It is a naturalist’s paradise, rich in wildlife and unique
flora, including many rare and endangered species. Maintained
today in an excellent state of conservation, free from pollution
and the threat of mass tourism or other industries, the Costa
Vicentina stands as a pillar of Portugal’s natural and cultural
heritage.
The cultural importance of the Costa Vicentina can most clearly
be seen in the Sagres area, for it is here, at the beginning of
the 15th century, that Prince Henry the Navigator established
his Navigation School and planned his epochal voyages of discovery.
The church of Nossa Senhora de Graça and the fortress,
both standing on the Ponta de Sagres, are witness to the events
of the period. The fortress is now a museum celebrating the history
of the area and its role in early navigation.
Cape St. Vincent
Cabo de São Vicente (Cape St. Vincent), 6 km from Sagres,
marks the south westerly tip of Europe, and is an essential landmark
for any ship travelling to the Mediterranean.
Perched on top of the dramatic 80 metre high cliffs, the Cape
St. Vincent lighthouse guards one of the world’s busiest
shipping lanes. Built in 1846 on the site of a 16th century Franciscan
convent, and electrified in 1906, its two 1kW lamps are magnified
by concentric rows of prisms, enabling a 10 foot tall beam of
light to be projected 60 km out to sea, and making it the second
most powerful lighthouse in Europe.
Battle of St. Vincent
Many sea battles have been fought off this cape, and it was Horatio
Nelson’s dramatic action in the 1797 battle of Cape St.
Vincent that secured victory and helped to establish his reputation
as one of England’s greatest naval heroes.
In the battle, a squadron of fifteen ships was led by Admiral
Sir John Jervis (later Earl St. Vincent) against a numerically
far superior Spanish fleet. He fell on them as they were running
for Cadiz and divided their line into two parts. From his flagship,
HMS Victory, he ordered his ships to tack in succession to prevent
the gap from being closed. Nelson, last but two in the line, saw
that this manoeuvre would not be completed in time and made a
quick decision to turn his ship, HMS Captain, into the gap. He
found himself facing seven Spanish ships. Through a hail of pistol
and musket fire Nelson led boarding parties on to capture both
the San Nicolas and San Josef. By nightfall four ships altogether
had been taken and ten others crippled.
St. Vincent the martyr
The cape is named after St. Vincent, a young deacon in Saragossa
during the time of the Roman persecution of Christian clergy.
Vincent was cruelly tortured by the proconsul Dacian, then governor
of Spain, but bore his repeated torments with such equanimity
that Dacian wept with rage and frustration. No sooner did Dacian
finally relent and allow Vincent some rest, than the young martyr
expired. Dacian commanded his body to be thrown out upon a marshy
field, but a raven defended it from beasts and birds of prey.
Legend relates that the body was then cast into the sea in a sack,
and was carried to shore at Cape St. Vincent and revealed to two
Christians.
A chapel can be found inside the fortress, built on what is said
to be the site of St. Vincent’s grave. The original temple
was watched over by ten ravens, who never left it. Then, in the
12th century, the remains were exhumed and taken by ship to Lisbon
to protect them from desecration by the Muslims. A raven is said
to have kept constant vigil from the rigging of the ship. Because
of this, the raven is still part of the insignia of both the city
of Lisbon and of Vila do Bispo.
Ancient history
The area holds vestiges of Phoenician and Roman settlements,
including a Roman site east of Praia do Martinhal, which specialised
in the production of amphorae. Numerous menhirs reveal the presence
of Neolithic man as far back as 4,000 BC. Near Salema, dinosaur
footprints can be spotted in cliffs that bear witness to the Jurassic
period.
From Baleeira, the fishing port of Sagres, local fishermen still
set sail in colourful wooden fishing boats up to 20 metres in
length. These waters around the peninsula, where warm Mediterranean
currents meet cold Atlantic currents, are especially fertile.
Nearby, on the shore, craftsmen use traditional techniques to
restore older fishing boats as well as to build new ones.
The Sagres area is a mecca for birdwatchers and botanists alike,
attracting visitors from all over the world (see Flora and Fauna).
Amongst other beauty spots within close striking distance of
AlmaVerde, on the road between Vila do Bispo and Aljezur, is the
village of Carrapateira. Nearby are the fine beaches of Praia
do Amado and Praia de Bordeira. The latter has a large estuarine
lagoon backed by huge sand dunes and old umbrella pine (pinus
pinea) woodland.
Inland Southwest Algarve
Not to be overshadowed by the Costa Vicentina, the inland area
of the south-western Algarve has much to offer. An excellent short
drive, which takes in some of the best of the interior, can be
had by turning north off the EN125 just west of AlmaVerde through
the picturesque old villages of Barão de São Miguel
and Barão de São João, to Bensafrim. In this
predominantly agricultural landscape, smallholdings in the valleys,
interspersed with patches of cork oak (quercus suber) woodland
and meadows, create an idyllic rural scene. Continue north along
the EN120 for 7 km after Bensafrim, and take the right turn to
Pincho. The first few kilometres cross the wild cork forests of
the Serra do Espinhaço de Cão ("Dog-spine mountains"),
which support an extraordinary variety of flora and fauna.
After Pincho, a left turn, signposted to Marmelete, brings you
out above the Barragem de Bravura, a large and picturesque stretch
of reservoir water surrounded by rock rose (cistus ladanifer).
The road continues to rise towards the Monchique mountains. Wild
strawberry trees (arbutus unedo) line the road, indicating a more
acid soil, the fruits forming the base for the famous liquor of
the region, medronha. From Marmelete, you continue through a mature
forested area to Casais and on to the town of Monchique itself.
From here the road continues to rise, reaching the peak itself,
Foia, at 902 metres. On a clear day, the 360 degree panorama of
the whole of the western Algarve makes the trip more than worthwhile.
Links:
http://www.lpn.pt/
http://www.icn.pt/
http://www.naturlink.pt/
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