Global Network of National Geoparks

Naturtejo Geopark is growing with Penamacor

Source :Naturtejo Geopark Published :January 14, 2014

The Naturtejo General Assembly that was held last month brought major news: the municipality of Penamacor joined the Naturtejo Geopark project. Penamacor is part of the Intermunicipal Community of Beira Baixa, an intermediary organization of increasing importance that manages the territory making the bridge between the National Government decisions and local communities. So it is in a natural way that Penamacor wishes now to become part of a territory recognized internationally under the frame of UNESCO. Penamacor is well known as one of the last refuges for the felid Iberian lynx, one of the most endangered species of mammals in the world. Just to protect the Lynx a Nature Reserve was decreed in the beginning of the eighties and it is a major nature site together with Ramilo mountain that born in Aranhas and develop towards Penha Garcia, Termas de Monfortinho and beyond. Penamacor is less well known for its geomining heritage with particular emphasis for the Presa Roman Gold Mine. Also the granite archipelago of Monsanto inselberge spreads to Penamacor area, right until the town. Penamacor as border town had great importance during the Independency Wars in the seventeenth century. It is the homeland of Ribeiro Sanches, one of the best European doctors during the eighteenth century. The municipal inventory of geosites is now being performed by the geologists of Naturtejo and in a couple of months an application to the European Geoparks Network will be presented.