FERRARIA DE SÃO JOÃO
39° 58' 26.17" N, 8° 19' 29.59" W
Ferraria de São João is a village belonging to the parish of Cumeeira (Penela), municipality of Penela.
The village is clustered on a slope exposed to the west, with wide views over a valley and protected by a quartzite ridge on the opposite side. The constructions there are simple in nature, like its people, made with the materials available in the surroundings, namely schist, limestone, quartzite, clay, wood, which are a reflection of habits, customs and traditions.
Patrimony
Chapel of Saint John;
Alminha;
Corrals;
Eira.
Points of interest
Cork oak; Shale Path; MTB Center
Forest
In June 2017, during the great Pedrogão Grande fire, fire surrounded the village whose century-old cork oak tree helped stop the spread of the flames. After the scare, residents decided to create a Protection Zone for the Village, uprooting the eucalyptus trees and replacing them with cork oaks, oaks and other native trees within a radius of at least 100 meters.
CANDAL (LOUSÃ)
40° 04' 50.8" N; 8° 12' 12.2" W
The village of Candal is 10 km from Lousã and is located in Serra da Lousã, on the western side of the mountain where it is refreshed by the Ribeira do Candal. Most of the village's buildings are located on the slope exposed to the east, others are located along the other slopes, all converging on the same point where the water lines are also located. Strategically placed next to the EN236, which connects Lousã to the highest point of the Serra (Trevim, 1204m) and Castanheira de Pera, visitors are a common sight in this village and are rewarded with a beautiful view over the valley after climbing its streets inclined. This village is included in the Serra da Lousã Site of Community Importance – Natura 2000 Network. It is part of the Union of parishes of Lousã and Vilarinho.
Etymology
The name Candal may be associated with the art of working stone. “Singing the stone” may have originated “candar” and then Candal, that is, the place where the stone is sung.
History
The history of this village is common to the stories of the remaining four Schist Villages in the municipality of Lousã. The settlement of the population in these mountain villages occurred from the second half of the century. XVII or the beginning of the century. XVIII. Until then, the occupation would only be seasonal, in spring and summer, particularly related to pastoral activities. What is certain is that Candal demonstrates a typical example of appropriation of the territory by man, that is, given the irregularities of the terrain, the layout of the buildings followed a logical method with a view to ensuring sun exposure and facilitating access.
In 1911, 129 people lived in the village, but even with emigration to the United States of America in the 1920s, in 1940 the village reached a maximum of 201 inhabitants. The population's activities would be pastoralism, charcoal manufacturing and subsistence agriculture, which were later followed by occupations as planters during the afforestation of the mountain and as corner workers on the road that crosses it.
