Parque Municipal das Fontes (Lagoa)
Encyclopedia
The Parque Municipal das Fontes (the Municipal Park of the Springs), or Fontes de Estômbar (The Estômbar Springs), is a park surrounding a major spring situated on the left bank of the estuary
of the Rio Arade
, north of the town of Estômbar
, in the concelho
of Lagoa (Algarve)
.
The park,formally created in 1989, consists of about de 18 ha (180.000 m2) and is an important ecosystem site reserved for those interested in nature. Use of the area began as a picnic site, overlooking the River Arade
as it passes from Silves down to the Atlantic. The park now has a restored watermill
, open for visits, a reconstructed Algarve house, an open-air amphitheater, and an area for physical fitness exercise.
The site is also historically and culturally important since vestiges of human activities dating back to pre-historic times have been found here. A watermill is documented in the "Livro do Almoxarifado de Silves" (15th century), which records an "... açenha das fontes em que fez Vicente Pirez huu moynho ..." (a "scene [= site] of springs where Vicente Pirez has a mill").
In more recent times the site has been used by the local population for recreational purposes, the commemoration of festivals, and for interaction with nature. As well the pools created by the springs are used for bathing.
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of the Rio Arade
Arade
The Arade is a river located in the region of the Algarve, southern Portugal. the river's course takes it through the municipalities of Silves, Lagoa and Portimão. The source of the river lies to the southwest of the Serra do Caldeirão mountain ridge, in a valley called Barranco do Pé do Coelho....
, north of the town of Estômbar
Estômbar
Estômbar is a Portuguese civil parish/freguesia in the municipality/concelho of Lagoa, just west of the city of Lagoa itself. It is 23.83 km² in area, with 4,658 inhabitants ; the population density is 195.5 inhabitants per km²...
, in the concelho
Concelho
Concelho , in the Portuguese language, is the word municipality, when referring to the territory. The word município is used when municipality means the organ of State...
of Lagoa (Algarve)
Lagoa (Algarve)
Lagoa Municipality is a Portuguese municipality in Faro District, in the region known as the Algarve, with about 6,100 inhabitants.Its seat is the city of Lagoa....
.
The park,formally created in 1989, consists of about de 18 ha (180.000 m2) and is an important ecosystem site reserved for those interested in nature. Use of the area began as a picnic site, overlooking the River Arade
Arade
The Arade is a river located in the region of the Algarve, southern Portugal. the river's course takes it through the municipalities of Silves, Lagoa and Portimão. The source of the river lies to the southwest of the Serra do Caldeirão mountain ridge, in a valley called Barranco do Pé do Coelho....
as it passes from Silves down to the Atlantic. The park now has a restored watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
, open for visits, a reconstructed Algarve house, an open-air amphitheater, and an area for physical fitness exercise.
The site is also historically and culturally important since vestiges of human activities dating back to pre-historic times have been found here. A watermill is documented in the "Livro do Almoxarifado de Silves" (15th century), which records an "... açenha das fontes em que fez Vicente Pirez huu moynho ..." (a "scene [= site] of springs where Vicente Pirez has a mill").
In more recent times the site has been used by the local population for recreational purposes, the commemoration of festivals, and for interaction with nature. As well the pools created by the springs are used for bathing.