| Cape St. Vincent | |
|---|---|
 North shore of Cape St. Vincent as seen from the lighthouse | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Cabo de São Vicente, Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park |
| Coordinates | 37°1′30″N8°59′40″W / 37.02500°N 8.99444°W /37.02500; -8.99444 |
| Naming | |
| Etymology | Vincent of Saragossa |
| Native name | Cabo de São Vicente (Portuguese) |
| Geography | |
  Cape St. Vincent Location of the Cabo de São Vicente in continental Portugal | |
| Country | Portugal |
| Region | Algarve |
| Subregion | Algarve |
| District | Faro |
| Municipality | Sagres |
Cape St. Vincent (Portuguese:Cabo de São Vicente,Portuguese pronunciation:[ˈkaβuðɨsɐ̃wviˈsẽtɨ]) is a headland in themunicipality ofVila do Bispo, in theAlgarve, southernPortugal. It is the southwesternmost point of Portugal and of mainlandEurope.
Cape St. Vincent was already sacred ground inNeolithic times, as standingmenhirs in the neighborhood attest. Theancient Greeks called itOphiussa (Land ofSerpents), inhabited by theOestriminis and dedicated here a temple toHeracles. TheRomans called itPromontorium Sacrum (or Holy Promontory). Strabo, in hisGeography calls this cape the most western tip of the known world and reports the place was considered magical. Common people believed the sun sank here hissing into the ocean, marking the edge of their world, which Strabo qualifies as "common and vulgar reports" and attributes toPosidonius[1]
According to legend, the current name of this cape is linked to the story of a martyred fourth-century IberiandeaconSt. Vincent whose body was brought ashore here. A shrine was erected over his grave; according to the ArabgeographerAl-Idrisi, it was always guarded byravens and is therefore named by him كنيسة الغراب (Kanīsah al-Ghurāb, meaning "Church of the Raven"). KingAfonso Henriques (1139–1185) had the body of the saint exhumed in 1173 and brought it by ship toLisbon, still accompanied by the ravens. This transfer of the relics is depicted on thecoat of arms of Lisbon. All existing buildings—including theVila do Infante ofHenry the Navigator—fell into ruins because of theLisbon earthquake of 1755. TheFranciscanfriars who cared for the shrine stayed on until 1834, when all monasteries were disbanded in Portugal.
Several naval battles have been fought in the vicinity of this cape:
This cape is the southwesternmost point in Portugal. It forms the southwestern end of theE9 European Coastal Path, which runs for 5,000 km (3,100 mi) toNarva-Jõesuu inEstonia. Approximately six kilometers from the village of Sagres, the cape is a landmark for a ship traveling to or from theMediterranean. The cliffs rise nearly vertically from the Atlantic to a height of 75 metres (250 ft). The cape is a site of exuberant marine life and a high concentration of birds nesting on the cliffs, such as the rareBonelli's eagle,peregrine falcons,kites,rock thrushes,rock pigeons,storks andherons.
The present lighthouse is 24 metres (79 ft) high and was built over the ruins of a 16th-centuryFranciscan convent in 1846.[3] The statues ofSt. Vincent and St.Francis Xavier had been moved to church of Nossa Senhora da Graça onPoint Sagres 3 kilometres (2 mi) away.[3] This lighthouse, guarding one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, is among the most powerful in Europe (the most powerful beingPhare du Creach on the French island ofUshant, off the coast ofBrittany); its two 1,000-watt lamps can be seen as far as 60 kilometres (40 mi) away.[3]
Cape St. Vincent has aMediterranean climate with very low seasonal variation and high occurrence offogs.
| Climate data for Cape St. Vincent, 1931-1960, elevation: 67 m or 220 ft | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 19.8 (67.6) | 24.5 (76.1) | 22.0 (71.6) | 27.0 (80.6) | 30.7 (87.3) | 30.1 (86.2) | 35.5 (95.9) | 32.0 (89.6) | 31.0 (87.8) | 28.0 (82.4) | 24.5 (76.1) | 22.0 (71.6) | 35.5 (95.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 14.8 (58.6) | 15.1 (59.2) | 16.3 (61.3) | 17.9 (64.2) | 19.2 (66.6) | 20.8 (69.4) | 21.5 (70.7) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.8 (71.2) | 20.6 (69.1) | 17.8 (64.0) | 15.5 (59.9) | 18.6 (65.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.6 (54.7) | 12.8 (55.0) | 14.0 (57.2) | 15.2 (59.4) | 16.6 (61.9) | 18.2 (64.8) | 18.8 (65.8) | 19.1 (66.4) | 19.2 (66.6) | 18.2 (64.8) | 15.6 (60.1) | 13.4 (56.1) | 16.1 (61.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.5 (50.9) | 10.6 (51.1) | 11.8 (53.2) | 12.4 (54.3) | 13.9 (57.0) | 15.5 (59.9) | 16.2 (61.2) | 16.5 (61.7) | 16.6 (61.9) | 15.8 (60.4) | 13.5 (56.3) | 11.4 (52.5) | 13.7 (56.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 0.4 (32.7) | 0.5 (32.9) | 5.0 (41.0) | 3.5 (38.3) | 8.5 (47.3) | 9.0 (48.2) | 9.8 (49.6) | 12.0 (53.6) | 9.5 (49.1) | 9.0 (48.2) | 0.6 (33.1) | 2.5 (36.5) | 0.4 (32.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 63 (2.5) | 47 (1.9) | 61 (2.4) | 38 (1.5) | 24 (0.9) | 5 (0.2) | 2 (0.1) | 1 (0.0) | 14 (0.6) | 46 (1.8) | 60 (2.4) | 56 (2.2) | 417 (16.5) |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 79 | 79 | 81 | 79 | 81 | 84 | 84 | 85 | 84 | 81 | 81 | 78 | 81 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 155 | 177 | 207 | 257 | 300 | 318 | 339 | 326 | 256 | 224 | 172 | 166 | 2,897 |
| Source:IPMA[4] | |||||||||||||
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