 |
| Serra
da Estrela |
| |
 |
| Serra
da Estrela |
| |
 |
| Serra
da Estrela |
| |
 |
| Serra
da Estrela |
| |
|
Nobody
knows Portugal until they have visited the Serra
da Estrela Natural Park. Here there is a perfect
and rare alliance between open air and people
Text provided by the Portuguese Tourist Office (with
minimal corrections)
Situated
in the largest mountain range in the country, the
Serra da Estrela Natural Park is the source of the
rivers Mondego, Zêzere and Alva. More than
half of its area is located above an altitude of
700m and it is here, at 1993m, that you will find
the highest peak in continental Portugal.
During the Quaternary period, all the region was
subjected to the action of ice and once this disappeared
visible marks were left on the landscape. Valleys
in the shape of horseshoes, ravines, polished rocks
and lakes of glacial origin are just some of the
formations that demonstrate the importance of the
ice and snow in modelling the mountains. The
central plateau, dominated by the Torre and Cântaros,
location of the glacial valley of the Zêzere,
contrasts with another mountain, the Videmonte plateau,
which is still in the initial bed of the Mondego,
dotted with isolated farms among fields of rye and
pastures where cattle are bred. In the valleys to
the south west, decorated by terraces and surrounded
by the Penha dos Abutres, are the villages of Loriga
and Alvoco, which have developed on powerful rocky
spurs. Finally, the north west slope stretches from
below Seia to the land dominated by the castle of
Linhares and the fields where maize is cultivated
and vines are planted up the slopes to where the
broom grows. In terms of fauna, the admirable presence
of the bear is a thing of the past and even wolves
only roam here sporadically. In addition to the
wall lizard that is a feature of the region, other
species include otters, genets, badgers, wild cats,
water moles, red breasted bullfinches, Algerian
wall lizards and midwife frogs.
The natural vegetation appears in three separate
sectors. Under 900m, in very clearly defined areas.
Between 800/900m and 1600m is the domain of the
black oak. From 1600m upwards, we find the juniper
and the high pastures where the gentian, a plant
in danger of extinction, can be found. The
villages in the Serra da Estrela Natural Park area
are mainly at the bottom of the mountains and date
back to medieval times. However, before this other
cultures left their mark on this area. One of the
most notable examples of the Roman presence are
the remains, still to be seen at Famalicão
and Folgosinho, of the road that connected Mérida
to Braga. The route by which it crosses the mountain
would certainly have caused difficulties in construction.
The Arab influence is seen in the irrigation system
and the fruit orchards while the Visigothic culture
organized all rural space by applying the ‘Visigoth
Code’, Throughout the Natural Park, a traditional
mountain economy is practised, centred on agriculture,
shepherding of sheep and goats, particularly domestic
sheep and the manufacture of Serra da Estrela cheese.
The craftsmanship of the region is expressed in
basket work using chestnut and wicker, weaving,
embroidered cotton and smoked produce. In an almost
imperceptible manner, the alliance between natural
and cultural factors is revealed and this makes
it possible to discover that any landscape on Estrela
proudly shows off its human component. This is the
greatest challenge to the visitor to the Serra da
Estrela.
|
Englisch
Deutsche -Version
