JURASSIC SINTRA
Millions of
years ago (125 million to be a bit more exact), large dinosaurs roamed in
Sintra. Plant eating Saurôpodes and Ornitôpodes as well as meat eating
Terôpodes, all about 2.5meters tall only until the hip, walked on these lands
way before the Sintra Mountain was a mountain. We can now observe their
footprints, some of which are a humongous 67cm tall and 60cm wide. Observing
the path of the prints, we know that the vegetarian Saurôpodes with its
elephant-like large body, long neck and small head walked between 6 to 7
km/hour, and the Terôpodes who walked on two strong legs, of which only three
of the four toes touch ground, about 2 kms/hour. It is fascinating to see the three distinct
types of footprints, all different sizes, and all well conserved, on the vertical
cliffs of Praia Grande do Rodízio. There are a total of 66 foot prints, 51 of them are in 11 tracks and the rest
are isolated.
The dinosaurs
did not of course walk like lizards, up the walls. They walked on muddy and
horizontal ground, imprinting their footsteps on the ground that was then
covered by layers of sediments. When the
Sintra Mountain was formed, the grounds were deformed and raised – and the top
layers crumbled away, leaving once again the layer with the footprints
uncovered for everyone to see.
And I mean everyone. Roughly a 370-step staircase leads from the South end of the beach up to the top of the cliffs, all along which these footprints are clear and easy to see.
The view from up top toward Adraga Beach |
The path above Praia Grande is well marked and easy to navegate |
Those keen on seeing the footprints and not
able to walk steps can see a part of them from the platform, up top, which is accessible
by car. This staircase is a part of Sintra’s
E9/GR11 and PR7 footpaths, on the stretch between Praia da Adraga and Praia
Grande. Praia Grande is served by
the local Scotturb busses 439 and 441. The best time of the
day to see the prints clearly is in the afternoon, when the sun hits the wall
before setting down.
The view of Praia Grande as seen from up top |
Also in
Sintra, the Natural History Museum boasts of the only complete flying dinosaur, (Brasileodactylus Barbosensis),
skeleton in the world. In addition to it, there are dinosaurs’ nests
complete with eggs and a great collection of fossils in remarkable state - and
even fragments of the Nantan meteorite that fell in China in the 16th
century.
Add another
dimension to your stay in Sintra and get a real Jurassic experience!
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