Vilarinho, now known as Vilarinho das Furnas, was a village in the parish of Campo do Gerês, located in the municipality of Terras de Bouro, district of Braga, and since 1971 has been submerged by the dam of Vilarinho das Furnas.
In a corner practically isolated and lost between the Serra Amarela, to the north and west, and the Serra do Gerês, to the south and east, it is still possible to observe some of the houses, in ruins, when the water level goes down, in a period of drought, or when the dam releases water for cleaning.
As is customary in the Minho area, Vilarinho’s houses consisted of two floors: the ground floor, to store the cattle and collect the agricultural machinery, and the upper floor, which served as housing.
It was known for the community system that operated autonomously from general and national laws. Who elaborated them and made them respect was a board of six members led by a caretaker. This board was made up of elected heads of households where the man was predominant.
Women could sit on the board if they were widows or if their husband had emigrated. At the time of its extinction in October 1970, about 250 people in 57 families lived in the village.
Access is on foot, about one kilometer from the dam, through a dirt road that runs along the river on the left bank, (looking north). Along the way, you will have the possibility to observe the immensity of the reservoir generated by the dam, and you will also pass by a small waterfall that ends in the waters of the reservoir.
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Location of Vilarinho das Furnas, Peneda-Gerês National Park
Google Maps Coordinates: 41.7805948, -8.1971882 | Vilarinho das Furnas on Google Maps
GPS Coordinates: 41° 46′ 50.141″ N 8° 11′ 49.878″ W
This article was translated with the help of Google Translator.
