Serra de São Mamede

Coordinates: 39°17′N 7°21′W / 39.283°N 7.350°W / 39.283; -7.350
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Serra de São Mamede
Saint Mammes Range
The Serra de São Mamede near Castelo de Vide
Highest point
PeakPico de São Mamede
Elevation1,025 m (3,363 ft)
Isolation75.65 km
Coordinates39°12′54″N 6°7′25″W / 39.21500°N 6.12361°W / 39.21500; -6.12361
Dimensions
Length25 km (16 mi) NW/SE
Width9 km (5.6 mi) NE/SW
Geography
Serra de São Mamede is located in Portugal
Serra de São Mamede
Serra de São Mamede
Country 
Alpine
Age of rockOrdovician, Silurian and Devonian
Type of rockQuartzite, Dolomite

Serra de São Mamede (English: Saint Mammes Range) is a

Saint Mammes. Together with the Serra de Arraiolos
, the Serra de São Mamede is one of the few places in the Alentejo region where there might be snow in the winter.

This mountain range separates the

Caia River and its tributary, the Arronches, flowing towards the Guadiana.[1]

The town of Marvão is an ancient fortified town located on a ridge of the range. Its emblematic castle is an archetype of medieval castle-building. It dates back to the times of the Reconquista, the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.[2] Besides Marvão, Portalegre, Castelo de Vide, Arronches and Alegrete are other important towns in the area of the range.

Description

View of Marvão atop the range

The Serra de São Mamede stretches for about 25 km in a NE/SW direction between

Cáceres Province, Extremadura, at the border with Spain. It rises in the area of the Alto Alentejo to the west of the parallel Sierra de San Pedro
across the border and is relatively lower than the latter. Its highest point is 1,025 m (3,363 ft) high
Physiographically this range is part of the western end of the greater Montes de Toledo, one of the main mountain systems of the Iberian Peninsula.[3]

The climate of the range is between the

xeric sites and Sweet chestnut
grows at higher elevations. On the lower slopes there are large areas of
olive and maritime pine, as well as scattered patches planted with non-native species such as eucalyptus.[4]

The

griffon vulture and Bonelli's eagle are also found in the range.[5]

Geology

Quartzite and Dolomite are predominant, especially in the higher levels of the range. Granite is present in the southwestern area of the mountains between Portalegre and Fortios.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ No Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede Archived 2013-07-05 at archive.today
  2. ^ Castelo de Marvão - detalhe
  3. ^ Julio Muñoz Jiménez, Los Montes de Toledo. Estudios de Geografía Física. Departamento de Geografía de la Universidad de Oviedo. Instituto J. S. Elcano (CSIC), Oviedo 1976
  4. ^ Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede - Flora (Portuguese)
  5. ^ Serra de Sao Mamede Natural Park
  6. ^ Serra de São Mamede - Geologia Archived 2013-11-04 at the Wayback Machine

External links

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