Parques de Portugal

Castelo de Vide geological fault

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It is thought that the mountain of S. Mamede probably had its origin in a lateral compressive movement of geological layers, which have caused a large quartzite alignments forming the rocky ridges that extend along the mountain border, direction NW-SE. Due to its strength these alignments have numerous faults, particularly in a N-S direction. The most obvious is in Castelo de Vide, visible mainly by the considerable distance between the quartzite ridges, caused by a new fault in a more or less perpendicular direction.

Geological phenomena have influenced the springs in this area which have physicochemical compositions with medicinal mineral characteristics, being used for various therapeutic purposes.

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  • It is thought that the mountain of S. Mamede probably had its origin in a lateral compressive movement of geological layers, which have caused a large quartzite alignments forming the rocky ridges that extend along the mountain border, direction NW-SE. Due to its strength these alignments have numerous faults, particularly in a N-S direction. The most obvious is in Castelo de Vide, visible mainly by the considerable distance between the quartzite ridges, caused by a new fault in a more or less perpendicular direction.

    Geological phenomena have influenced the springs in this area which have physicochemical compositions with medicinal mineral characteristics, being used for various therapeutic purposes.

  • Alentejo

  • Castelo de Vide

  • Serra de S. Mamede Nature Park

  • No

  • Access from:

    - Castelo de Vide (about 10 min., 3.5 km) – take N246-1 and after more or less 2 km turn left to M1008, juts to the parking next to the hermitage. Climb to the chapel, the fault is on the right.

  • Touristic

  • On the top of the hills.

  • -

  • On the first week of August take part on the feast of Our Lady of Penha.

    If you walk up the steep road leading to the chapel, try to observe and listen to the Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) and other forest birds such as tits, including the Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus), Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dryobates minor), Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla) and Wood Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) - looking for insects in trees bark.