Parchal
Encyclopedia
Parchal is a Portuguese
civil parish/freguesia
in the northwest sector Lagoa Municipality, 4.5 km² in area, with 3,378 inhabitants (2001 census). The population density
is 750.7 inhabitants per km².
Parchal serves mainly as a bedroom community for Portimão
, and many of its residents travel daily across the Rio Arade
to work in the neighboring municipality.
, was separated from the freguesia
of Estômbar
on June 20, 1997 and more recently the concelho
of Lagoa increased its size to 4.5 km². Its civil status was raised to that of a town on July 12, 2001.
The name “Parchal” appears to derive from “Parchel” or “Praxel”, the name of an old Franciscan monastery in the neighbouring village (to the east) of Calvário, in the freguesia
of Estômbar
. The word “praxel”, of Arabic origin, means a “flooded” or “marshy area”, just as occurred regularly in the area of Parchal in its early days, constantly invaded by the waters of the Rio Arade
. Much earlier than its current designation, it was also known as “Aldeia dós Cucos,” a common reference to the Cuco family, one of the first to settle in Parchel.
Basic agriculture at first, and fishing and fish canning later, were the poles of attraction leading to the creation of the first nucleus of settlement across from Portimão
, and linked to it by the railway bridge and the “old” road bridge at the turn of the twentieth century. A major fishing boat harbour was created on the Arade
below the bridges, and at the height of the canning industry in the middle of twentieth century, a number of canneries established themselves in the area. By the time the canning industry began to decline in the 1970s, Parchal had already become a consolidated urban area which strong ties to Portimão, where many of Parchal’s inhabitants worked in fishing, commerce or service industries.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
civil parish/freguesia
Freguesia
Freguesia is the Portuguese term for a secondary local administrative unit in Portugal and some of its former colonies, and a former secondary local administrative unit in Macau, roughly equivalent to an administrative parish. A freguesia is a subdivision of a concelho, the Portuguese synonym term...
in the northwest sector Lagoa Municipality, 4.5 km² in area, with 3,378 inhabitants (2001 census). The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is 750.7 inhabitants per km².
Parchal serves mainly as a bedroom community for Portimão
Portimão
Portimão is a Portuguese town located in the District of Faro in the Region of Algarve, the southern coast of Portugal. It was formerly known as Vila Nova de Portimão . In 1924, it was incorporated as a cidade and became known merely as Portimão. The town has 41,000 inhabitants and the Portimão...
, and many of its residents travel daily across 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....
to work in the neighboring municipality.
History
Parchal, on the east bank of the Rio AradeArade
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....
, was separated from the freguesia
Freguesia
Freguesia is the Portuguese term for a secondary local administrative unit in Portugal and some of its former colonies, and a former secondary local administrative unit in Macau, roughly equivalent to an administrative parish. A freguesia is a subdivision of a concelho, the Portuguese synonym term...
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...
on June 20, 1997 and more recently 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 increased its size to 4.5 km². Its civil status was raised to that of a town on July 12, 2001.
The name “Parchal” appears to derive from “Parchel” or “Praxel”, the name of an old Franciscan monastery in the neighbouring village (to the east) of Calvário, in the freguesia
Freguesia
Freguesia is the Portuguese term for a secondary local administrative unit in Portugal and some of its former colonies, and a former secondary local administrative unit in Macau, roughly equivalent to an administrative parish. A freguesia is a subdivision of a concelho, the Portuguese synonym term...
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...
. The word “praxel”, of Arabic origin, means a “flooded” or “marshy area”, just as occurred regularly in the area of Parchal in its early days, constantly invaded by the waters 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....
. Much earlier than its current designation, it was also known as “Aldeia dós Cucos,” a common reference to the Cuco family, one of the first to settle in Parchel.
Basic agriculture at first, and fishing and fish canning later, were the poles of attraction leading to the creation of the first nucleus of settlement across from Portimão
Portimão
Portimão is a Portuguese town located in the District of Faro in the Region of Algarve, the southern coast of Portugal. It was formerly known as Vila Nova de Portimão . In 1924, it was incorporated as a cidade and became known merely as Portimão. The town has 41,000 inhabitants and the Portimão...
, and linked to it by the railway bridge and the “old” road bridge at the turn of the twentieth century. A major fishing boat harbour was created on the 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....
below the bridges, and at the height of the canning industry in the middle of twentieth century, a number of canneries established themselves in the area. By the time the canning industry began to decline in the 1970s, Parchal had already become a consolidated urban area which strong ties to Portimão, where many of Parchal’s inhabitants worked in fishing, commerce or service industries.
Significant Sites
- Igreja de Parchal, also known as the “Igreja de São Francisco de Assis”
- Fishing Port
- Pavilhão do Arade
Economic Activity
- Fishing
- Fish culture
- Gathering/sale of bivalves
- Civil construction
- Small industry