Archaeology

In the far eastern corner of the Serra de Aire, close to the settlement of Bairro, there is an important fossil record from the Jurassic period – footprints from Sauropod dinosaurs, some of the largest beings that ever inhabited the Earth.

In this rocky surface measuring a total area of 60,000 m2 several hundred footprints can be seen. Preserved for over 175 million years, they were discovered by accident during operation of the stone quarry. The footprints of these herbivorous 4-legged dinosaurs are organised in 20 exceptionally well preserved tracks, the longest of which measure 142 and 147 metres in length.

Visits to this natural monument are preceded by exhibition of a video. The visit is organised in a pedagogical circuit, supported by information panels in order to enable visitors to learn more about the history of the Earth and the dinosaurs. Guided visits are also available, subject to prior booking.