by Francisco Santos
Corroios is a Portuguese town and parish, located in the municipality of Seixal, south of Tagus River, on the opposite side of Lisbon. The bridge 25 de Abril connects this town to the capital.
The oldest traces of human presence in the Corroios territory date from the Roman occupation. In 1385 a part of Corroios, was donated to Constable Nuno Alvares Pereira by King João I. Afterwards D. Nuno used his land in Corroios to create a farm and in 1403, he built the first mill of the municipality of Seixal. The Corroios parish was then finally founded in 1369.
During the Age of Discovery, this was an important loading area of shipments to Lisbon. Corroios has an important natural heritage, with a deserved mention, the Sapal, the marshland of Corroios. Marshlands characteristic to certain river formations, are areas of coastal grassland that are regularly flooded by seawater and function as hubs of young animal life. The Sapal de Corroios is integrated in the REN-National Ecological Reserve.
The most important site of interest in Corroios is the Moinho da Maré, constructed in 1403 under the order of Nuno Álvares Pereira. It was largely destroyed in the Earthquake of 1755. In 1980 it was restored and became a part of the Municipal Ecomuseum.
The Moinho de Corroios is one of the two rare tide watermills that still function in the area by the Tagus Estuary. In early 2007, it closed down to further the conservation and requalification of the building. Said works ended in September 2009 and since then the Moinho de Corroios is open to the public once again. Being so close to the Tagus and its Estuary you can’t help but feel close to nature.
The ornithological richness and existing aquatic fauna is very noteworthy, particularly in the Corroios Marshland. This site serves as a temporary landing for many migratory birds like the flamingo, the tailor, the long leg, the heron and mallard, as they seek food and shelter. The Marshland also functions as a ‘nursery’ for various species of molluscs, crustaceans and fish.
How to get here:
Take the metro to the Jardim Zoológico and climb upwards into the train station of Sete Rios; there you can take the train towards Setúbal and simply exit at the Corroios train station (Schedule – 2.10€ single ticket)
Since you’re so close to Lisbon just take your time to appreciate everything as much as you can.
After you’re tired and have taken more pictures than your camera can handle you can simply return to Lisbon and rest here with us at The Elevator Hostel.
fm’14
the elevator hostel 