Parques de Portugal

Presentation

  • The final stretch of the Boa Viagem mountain ridge, between the Murtinheira and Figueira da Foz beaches, the Mondego cape is the only cliff point of the central Portuguese coast. It's a portentous crease of limestone rocks that stretch into the sea. In the Jurassic outcrops of Mondego cape, where once the Coal Mines of Cabo do Mondego, and more recently, hydraulic lime is explored, each layer of sediments is a report on the geological evolution of the Earth in the period between 185 MY and 140MY.

    In short, Mondego cape shows great values on the ammonite palaeontologic domains, the transitional environments palaeontology, sedimentology and paleoichnology of the dinosaurs constituting an international reference standard - materialization and representation of a specific limit of geological time - consecrated by the International Union of Geological Sciences.

    Cabo Mondego Natural Monument is referenced worldwide as the best and only place in the world where, under the stratigraphic point of view, you can observe and study rocks about 170 million years, from the mid-Jurassic-Bajocian.Thanks to this importance ir was recognized as a Global Standard Stratotype Section and Point.

    Since July 24 2016, Cabo Mondego Natural Monument has a "Golden Spike", marking the lower limit of the Bajocian (Middle Jurassic, about 170 million years), called "Murtinheira Section ". This rating was assigned by the IUGS (International Union of Geological Sciences).

  • Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, I.P. (ICNF, I.P.)

  • Cliffs and beaches

  • Center

  • Figueira da Foz

  • Access coming from:

    - Figueira da Foz (city center or Buarcos - beaches), direction cabo (cape) Mondego by the coastal road.

     

    Attention: the signs on N109 are not the best way to go there, so follow the above instructions.

    Please note: access to much part of the Natural Monument is restricted because is private and owned by Cimpor, thus, you should contact that company before making a visit. The visitation is also dependent on tides and subject to weather conditions.

  • No

  • It is two steps away from the beaches of Figueira da Foz and is a strange geological monument. But, to "read and understand" the complex history that the Mondego Cape hides you will need more than just your eyes: do not forget to carry a geological guide. Bring binoculars and a camera, if you have them.

    Always pay attention to the weather forecast and tides.

    In case of an accident contact the emergency service 112.

  • No

  • No

  • PTCON0055 Dunas de Mira (Mira Dunes), Gândara and Gafanhas

  • <p> Visite the wetlands in Lower Mondego: &#39;Paul do Taipal&#39;;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.natural.pt/portal/pt/AreaProtegida/Item/17" target="_parent" title="Paul de Arzila Nature Reserve">Paul de Arzila</a>; e &#39;Paul da Madriz&#39;</p>

    Visite the wetlands in Lower Mondego: 'Paul do Taipal'; Paul de Arzila; e 'Paul da Madriz'

Weather Conditions

Weather Conditions em Cabo Mondego Natural Monument :

What you can do

1. Visit the dinosaurs footprints and try to find and draw an ammonite.

2. Take your camera and shoot one of the existing dinosaur footprints in this Natural Monument.

1. Visit the monument and enjoy the rest of the day on Figueira da Foz beaches.

2. Leve a máquina e fotografe uma das pegadas de dinossáurios existentes neste Monumento Natural.

1. Visit the dinosaurs footprints and try to find an ammonite.

1. In a rainless day, visit the dinosaurs footprints and enjoy the low winter sun to photograph the footprints.

Best Season: Summer

Contacts

Monumento Natural do Cabo Mondego (Headquarters) 

Av. da República, 16

1050-191 LISBOA

Telephone: (00351) 213 507 900 

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