Serra da Estrela
Encyclopedia
Serra da Estrela (ˈsɛʁɐ ðɐ (ɨ)ʃˈtɾelɐ, "Mountain Range of the Star") is the highest mountain range
in Continental Portugal
. It is the westernmost constituent range and one of the highest in the Sistema Central
. It includes mainland Portugal's highest point at 1993 m (6,539 ft) above mean sea level at its highest point (the summit of the Pico mountain
in the Portuguese Azores
islands is higher, however). This point is not a distinctive mountain summit, but rather the highest point in a plateau, being known as Torre
("Tower" in English). Torre has the unusual feature of being a summit that is accessible by paved road. The peak has a topographic prominence
of 1204 m and its parent peak is Pico Almanzor
, in Spain.
There is a ski resort
at the summit, named Vodafone Ski Resort
.
The mountain range, situated between the municipalities of Seia
, Manteigas
, Gouveia
, Guarda and Covilhã
, is about 100 km (62.14 mi) long and is 30 km (18.64 mi) at its widest point. It is formed from a huge granite
ridge that once formed the southern frontier of the country. Due to its bizarrely shaped crags and gorges, mountain streams and lakes, beautiful forests and magnificent views, the area ranks among Portugal’s outstanding scenic attractions.
; a tributary of the Mondego, the Alva also has its headwaters in the range.
It is 1691 metres high.
and offers plentiful skiing
opportunities in the ski resort
of Loriga
, Seia Municipality.
that takes its name from this region.
from the region of Serra da Estrela. The recipe has more than 2000 years. It is made from cardoon thistle, raw sheep's milk and salt. The cheese is soft and gooey. The cheese becomes harder and chewier as the time goes by.
:
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in Continental Portugal
Continental Portugal
Continental Portugal or Mainland Portugal is the designation of the mainland Portuguese territory, located on Europe's Iberian Peninsula....
. It is the westernmost constituent range and one of the highest in the Sistema Central
Sistema Central
The Sistema Central is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in the Iberian Peninsula.-Description:The Sistema Central is a primary feature of the Meseta Central, the inner Iberian plateau, splitting the meseta into two parts...
. It includes mainland Portugal's highest point at 1993 m (6,539 ft) above mean sea level at its highest point (the summit of the Pico mountain
Pico Mountain
Pico Mountain Ski Area was one of the first commercial ski resorts in Vermont, USA. The base lodge was located on the northwest side of Pico Peak on U.S. Route 4. In 1996, the resort went into receivership and was bought by the Killington Mountain Resort and Ski Area in December 1997. Ski runs have...
in the Portuguese Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
islands is higher, however). This point is not a distinctive mountain summit, but rather the highest point in a plateau, being known as Torre
Torre (Serra da Estrela)
Torre is a monument that marks the highest point of Mainland Portugal, and the second most elevated of the Portuguese Republic . This point is not a distinctive mountain summit, but rather the highest point in a mountain range...
("Tower" in English). Torre has the unusual feature of being a summit that is accessible by paved road. The peak has a topographic prominence
Topographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
of 1204 m and its parent peak is Pico Almanzor
Pico Almanzor
Pico Almanzor is the highest mountain in central Spain. Situated in the Sierra de Gredos in the province of Ávila, Almanzor is high. It is made of granite. The mountain is also known as Pico de Almanzor and Moro Almanzor.-History:...
, in Spain.
There is a ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
at the summit, named Vodafone Ski Resort
Vodafone Ski Resort
Vodafone Ski Resort is a ski resort located in a mountain range named Serra da Estrela, in the municipality of Seia, parish of Loriga, Portugal.-Description:...
.
The mountain range, situated between the municipalities of Seia
Seia
Seia Municipality is located in Guarda District in Portugal. It has a total area of 435.7 km² and a total population of 27,574 inhabitants. Its urban population is about 7,000...
, Manteigas
Manteigas
Manteigas is a town and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 125.0 km² and a total population of 4,002 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 4 parishes, and is located in Guarda District; in Centro Region and Beira Interior Norte Subregion, Comunidade urbana: Beiras...
, Gouveia
Gouveia
Gouveia is a city and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 300.6 km² and a total population of 15,792 inhabitants. The city itself has a population of 3,759....
, Guarda and Covilhã
Covilhã
Covilhã is a city in Covilha Municipality in Centro region, Portugal. The city proper has 36,723 inhabitants, and the municipality has an area of 555.6 km² with a total population of 53,501, being composed of 31 parishes. It is located in the Cova da Beira subregion, in the district of...
, is about 100 km (62.14 mi) long and is 30 km (18.64 mi) at its widest point. It is formed from a huge granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
ridge that once formed the southern frontier of the country. Due to its bizarrely shaped crags and gorges, mountain streams and lakes, beautiful forests and magnificent views, the area ranks among Portugal’s outstanding scenic attractions.
Rivers
There are three rivers that have their headwaters in the Serra da Estrela: the Mondego, which is the biggest river entirely within Portuguese territory; and the Zêzere, which is a tributary to the TagusTagus
The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...
; a tributary of the Mondego, the Alva also has its headwaters in the range.
It is 1691 metres high.
Nature Park
The mountain range is now part of the Serra da Estrela Natural ParkSerra da Estrela Natural Park
Serra da Estrela Natural Park is situated in the largest mountain range in Portugal - the Serra da Estrela, and is the source of the rivers Mondego, Zêzere , and Alva. The park is the largest natural conservation area in Portugal and occupies about 1,000 km². More than half of its area is located...
and offers plentiful skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
opportunities in the ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
of Loriga
Loriga
Loriga is a civil parish in south-central part of the municipality of Seia, in central Portugal. Part of the district of Guarda, it is 20 km away from the city of Seia, 40 km away from Viseu, 80 km away from Guarda and 320 km from Lisbon, nestled in the Serra da Estrela...
, Seia Municipality.
Serra da Estrela dog
The Cão da Serra da Estrela (Estrela Mountain Dog) is a breed of livestock guardian dogLivestock guardian dog
A livestock guardian dog is a domesticated canine used to defend livestock against predators. LGDs are commonly referred to as "sheep dogs" since they most often have guarded flocks of sheep, but most are capable of guarding other species of livestock. They are classified as pastoral dogs...
that takes its name from this region.
Serra da Estrela cheese
Queijo Serra da Estrela (Serra da Estrela cheese) is a soft cheeseCheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
from the region of Serra da Estrela. The recipe has more than 2000 years. It is made from cardoon thistle, raw sheep's milk and salt. The cheese is soft and gooey. The cheese becomes harder and chewier as the time goes by.
History, legends and myths
A legend associated with the mountain is mentioned in chapter 41 of the American literary classic, Moby-DickMoby-Dick
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, was written by American author Herman Melville and first published in 1851. It is considered by some to be a Great American Novel and a treasure of world literature. The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whaleship Pequod,...
:
- "... the prodigies related in old times of the inland Strello mountain in Portugal (near whose top there was said to be a lake in which the wrecks of ships floated up to the surface)..."
External links
- Serra da Estrela´s Dog Article by Cátia Pinheiro in Accessible Travel Magazine, January 2007