Ferragudo

Ferragudo
Civil Parish (Freguesia)
The main centre of Ferragudo, as seen from the across the Arade River
Coat of arms
Official name: Freguesia de Ferragudo
Country	Portugal
Region	Algarve
Subregion	Algarve
District	Faro
Municipality	Lagoa
Localities	Ferragudo, Vale de Azinhaga
River	Arade
Center	Ferragudo
- elevation	25 m (82 ft)
- coordinates	37°6′59.70″N 8°30′53.09″W
Lowest point	Sea level
- location	Atlantic Ocean, Ferragudo, Lagoa
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	3.94 km (2 mi), Northwest-Southeast
Width	3.16 km (2 mi), Southwest-Northeast
Area	5.41 km2 (2 sq mi)
Population	20,453 (2001)
Density	3,780.59 / km2 (9,792 / sq mi)
Settlement	fl. 14th century
- Civil Parish	26 January 1773
LAU	Freguesia/Junta Freguesia
- location	Rua do Regato, Lagoa
President Junta	Luis Filipe dos Santos Alberto (PS)
President Assembleia	Miguel Alexandre Vicente Cristina (PS)
Timezone	WET (UTC0)
- summer (DST)	WEST (UTC+1)
ISO 3166-2 code	PT-
Area Code & Prefix	(+351) XXX XXX XXX
Demonym	Ferragudense
Patron Saint	Nossa Senhora da Conceição
Parish Address	Rua do Regato, 9
Wikimedia Commons: Ferragudo
Statistics: Instituto Nacional de Estatística
Website: http://www.f-ferragudo.pt/
Geographic detail from CAOP (2010) produced by Instituto Geográfico Português (IGP)

Ferragudo is a Portuguese civil parish at the western border of the municipality of Lagoa Municipality, covering an area of 5.41 km² and encompassing a small population of 1867 inhabitants (2001 census). Ferragudo serves mainly as a bedroom community for its much larger neighbour, the city of Portimão; its residents routinely travel across the Arade River to work in the neighboring municipality.

History

The Fort of São João Arade, constructed in the 16th/17th century to protect the coast from pirates and privateers

There have been various explanations for the communities name: from the inheritance of Ferragudo in Castro Verde, the fort of Ferragudo in Vila Viçosa, the Spanishman Johane Anes Ferro Agudo de Espanha or the locality of Ferragudo, there have been several interpretations. Of the most plausible interpretations, the most sensible has been the traditional associated to the 14th century, which suggested the existence of a iron machine that existed on the beach of Angrinha, and which was used to raise fish for market. This iron machinery or "engenho de ferro", which was relatively "pointy" or "agudo" evolved into "ferro agudo" or Ferragudo.

Ferragudo was selected by Phoenicians, Carthiginians and Roman, who were attracted to the mouth of the Arade River for its shelter and access to the Atlantic Ocean. It was in the 14th century that fishers began to settle the region, primarily to avoid the winter storms that afflicted the Atlantic coast. In 1520, Queen Leonor, noting the potential of area, secured the protection of the area, and thereby allowed continued occupation of the territory. The privileges conceded to the region mimicked those extended to Silves and its inhabitants. Consequently, the Bishop of the Algarve, began to reside in the zone. Similarly, the Bishop of Silves, D. Fernando Coutinho had erected a wall to protect the population, at the same time ordering the construction of the local castle, remaining in the area until his death.

In the 18th century, the local area evolved with its base in the fishery and interior agriculture, secure in the support of the monarchy, resulting in a population growth. This change led to the de-annexation of the territory of Ferragudo from Estômbar in 1749. For along time the territory of Ferragudo was shared between its neighbouring parishes of Lagoa and of Estômbar, after it was deannexed from the municipality of Silves on 26 January 1773.

The continued growth of the canning/preservation industry, allowed Ferragudo to prosper. Until the late 20th century, Ferragudo was a fishing community that depended on seasonal employment along the Arade River or in the Atlantic Ocean and the estuary of the Arade River and the river itself. With the collapse of fishing along the southern coast, the civil parish began to move to a tertiary economic model, concentrating on attracting tourism into the region. On 3 May 1999 the village was elevated to the civil status of town, absorbing the villages and hamlets of Aldeia de São Francisco, Vale de Azinhaga, Corgos, Gramacho, Presa de Moura and Vale de Lapa.

Geography

The Praia Grande beach, showing the expansive white sands that make the area popular with locals and tourists

The civil parish is bordered on the west and south by Arade River and the Atlantic Ocean, and its landscapes are coloured by the fishing economy and tourist beaches, such as Angrinha, Caneiros, Torrados, Infanta, Afurada, João Lopes, Molhe, Pintadinho and Praia Grande. It is situated between the parish of Parchal (in the north), Estômbar (in the east) and the municipality of Portimão (in the west, across the Arade River). The population is concentrated along the E.N.539 motorway and Atlantic coast, separated into two principal localities: Ferragudo and Vale de Azinhaga.

Among the natural scenic sites is the Ponta do Altar as well as various cliffs, underground caverns, vent chimneys and steep cliffed islets.

Economy

For a long time the population of Ferragudo was connect with the fishery, suffering the ups and downs associated with this seasonal shifts. Meanwhile agriculture and the raising of cattle/dairy herds was always present within the territory (also influenced by the changes in the business cycles), while the cultivation of almonds, figs and carob predominated. Ferragudo, which in the past was the centre of a cattle fair historically, has traditionally be the location of several fish canning and/or conservancy industries. While this has been steadily abandoned, due to the growth of touris, there are still many fishermen that sail from the ports of the region.

Architecture

Civic

• Fishing village/shacks (Portuguese: Bairro de Casas para Pescadores em Ferragudo)
• Lifeguard station of Ferragudo (Portuguese: Estação de Salva-Vidas de Ferragudo)
• Lighthouse of Ponta do Altar (Portuguese: Farol da Ponta do Altar)

Military

• Atalaia da Ponta do Altar
• Fort of São João do Arade (Portuguese: Castelo de São João de Arade/Forte de São João do Arade)

Religious

• Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Portuguese: Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição)

References

Notes

External links

• Ferragudo uma Vila com Sabor | Uma das mais belas silhuetas de vila à beira mar