This walk starts at the car park near the S. Domingos dam wall in Atouguia da Baleia. It's a route that takes in the landscape of a reservoir, some of which is still unknown to many, and which we'll get to know well through this walk along rural paths, in an area where you can see how the rural world coexists with modernity. At the end of the walk, we'll also be able to visit the most important points of the parish. Another event not to be missed!

A little history of Atouguia...

D. Dinis during his reign founded 44 towns throughout his kingdom, including the town of Atouguia. He built and repaired his castles there. The Castle of Atouguia had already existed since the beginnings of its seaport, but we believe that King Dinis did not pass by without making some improvements and repairs. At that time, the ocean coast where Atouguia harbour was located was very popular with Algerian pirates and others who ventured into the bay to plunder our population in the dead of night. As a symbol of his authority and of the town he had recently created, King Dinis ordered the first pillory to be placed in front of the town hall and the church of St Leonard, more or less where it stands today. The fair, which he created, was also held there until the beginning of the 18th century; it then moved to the square of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, which now had its newly built church. The square, which before it was built was part farmland, part wasteland and the only road to the then town of Lourinhã, is now a place of religious worship to Our Lady in the summer months, due to the large influx of pilgrims from the farthest corners of our country. The limestone trenches, just like the ones used to build the church, were placed there on the express recommendation of Queen Maria Sofia herself, to prevent outsiders from invading the front of the church with their carriages and horses. Wooden poles were placed in the holes, preventing the animals from invading the enclosure.

Pelourinho

The current parish of Atouguia da Baleia is fortunate to have a beautiful Manueline pillory, a legacy of a past of autonomy and economic, social and political strength. The extinction of the Municipality of Atouguia da Baleia in 1836, which moved the administrative centre of the region to Peniche, left behind this fundamental historical landmark.

This pillory doesn't just exist and pleases the eye; situated on its original site, surrounded by the Church of St Leonard, the headquarters of the current Parish Council and what remains of the castle of Atouguia, it speaks to the taste of the 16th century. It tells us of the 16th century taste that erected it in the Manueline style, with a base of three steps, a faceted capital, a decorated column crowned in a pine cone by the heraldic arms of the Counts of Atouguia, of which the only memory is that they were chopped off after the assassination attempt on King José in 1758. In fact, this is an eloquent testimony to the importance of this architectural structure and its symbolic value as a symbol of the power of the Atouguia Counts, which the Marquis of Pombal wanted to eliminate by having all their heraldic representations chopped off and by effectively erasing this memory from our Pelourinho.

The Touril of Atouguia da Baleia

The historical documents and testimonies that inadvertently tell us about the existence and function of the Touril de Atouguia da Baleia at least in two periods: 1770 and 1775, are indeed reliable and true.

- Natural landscapes around the S. Domingos dam - Rural paths - Fountain of Nossa Senhora da Conceição - Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição - Church of S. José - 18th century in baroque style (now the Atouguia da Baleia Interpretive Centre) - Pillory - Touril - Church of S. Leonarado -