The Founding of Ferragudo

In this article compiled by The President of the Câmara Municipal de Lagoa, Luís Encarnação and the President of the Junta Freguesia de Ferragudo, the fascinating history of Ferragudo is explained.

The year 2020 is marked by the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Ferragudo settlement. Established by a letter of privileges from Queen D. Leonor. Under the aegis of the 500th anniversary, the Câmara Municipal of Lagoa and the Junta de Freguesia de Ferragudo have joined efforts and prepared a set of initiatives that, throughout the year that will take place under the motto Ferragudo: 500 years - Living the Sea.

In this historic moment, the events that define Ferragudo are remembered, in order to rediscover the history of a locality, which is much older, than the formal act of creation on August 21, 1520.

Connected to the sea, and the circulation of people and goods in the Arade region. The main means of un-interrupted incursion into the heart of the Barlavento, Ferragudo assumed a dichotomous function. It served both the fishing population offering a safe harbour as well as controlling transport on the river. of a town and municipality, Ferragudo integrated with Estômbar and Mexilhoeira da Carregação, the newly created municipality of Lagoa.

Since its formation, Ferragudo has taken 242 years to achieve administrative autonomy and 237 years to gain the category of village.

Previously it was a part of the parish of Estômbar until 1749, when it was separated, by the initiative of Archbishop Bishop of the Algarve D. Inacio de Santa Teresa. It was a troubled process that dragged on until 1762 and was a battle of wills between two peoples and two parishes.

With the attribution of the charter of the region of 16 January 1773, which gave the Freguesia the status The program was designed to cover the most diverse areas, from arts to physical exercise, historiography to gastronomy and crafts to popular festivities. The official opening of the celebrations began on the 11th of January. The event that marks the date of the official establishment, the highlight of the celebrations, is on 21 August.

Celebrating this past as a communal legacy is almost an obligation. And, not only to the natives of Ferragudo but all of us, municipalities, collectivises, traders and other living forces that together or individually mark this territory.

The ambition to do more in favour of the locality, its people and those who exempt it, should motivate us to work continuously in search of dynamics that prepare the parish for the challenges and demands that the decade 2020-2030 will bring.

We believe that in these celebrations and in this exercise of transporting the Ferragudo of yesterday, to the Ferragudo of today and tomorrow, we are promoting the knowledge and appreciation of local identity and the sense of what it is to be from Ferragudo and Lagoa.

The program was designed to cover the most diverse areas, from arts to physical exercise, historiography to gastronomy and crafts to popular festivities. The official opening of the celebrations began on the 11th of January. The event that marks the date of the official establishment, the highlight of the celebrations, is on 21 August.

Ferragudo will also be featured in the 41st edition of Fatacil. But there is much more: routes through historical, natural and gastronomic heritage, the municipal celebration of Freedom Day, Fisherman's Day and the recreation of the Ferragudo Fair.

And in this context, we are pleased to invite all people to actively participate in these celebrations!

Celebrations:

25 April - Freedom Day

31 May - Fisherman's Day

10 June - Dia do Portugal

21 August - Actual day of the 500th year celebration. Events to be confirmed

Due to the Covid19 situation, the meeting to finalise the events and activities has been postponed so please check if they are going ahead.