Mexilhoeira Grande

Mexilhoeira Grande is a civil parish in the municipality of Portimão in the southern Portuguese region of the Algarve. The population in 2011 was 4,029, in an area of 91.15 km².

Geography

Mexilhoeira Grande is situated in the north of the municipality of Portimão, primarily encompassing rural lands comprising white-painted homes, traditionally agricultural in character.
It is bordered in the north by Monchique, by Portimão in the east, Alvor to the south, and by the parishes of Odiáxere, Bensafrim and Marmelete, in the north and northwest, respectively.

Economy

The region's economy is primarily agricultural-based, although tourism has an important influence on local revenues. The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, is the natural gateway to the region; situated in an area of plains, approximately to the north of the parish, it is interconnected by variants of the Estrada Nacional EN125.

Architecture

Prehistoric

Megalithic Monuments of Alcalar, likely constructed between in the third millennium BCE and 1600 BCE, at the height of the Calcolithic, consisting of several burial mounds/tombs, that were later acquired by the State, with formal excavations beginning at the end of the 20th century;

Archaeological

Roman ruins of Quinta da Abicada and José Formosinho Sanches, it was determined that this Roman centre dates back to the 1st century;

Civic

Railway Station of Mexilhoeira Grande, constructed in the turn-of-the century, the railway station is typical design for the period, but was redesigned to act as the Centro de Interpretação Ambiental da Ria de Alvor ;

Religious

Chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Passos a Baroque-era chapel with Neo-classical lines, the small temple consists of a space with simple vaulted-ceiling, with many 19th century decorations, including tympanium in the principal portico and neoclassical retable;Church of Figueira Church of the Misericórdia, the single-nave 15th-century church, was founded after the establishment of the Misericórdia, the local benevolent and social society;Church of Nossa Senhora da Assunção, the parochial church of Mexilhoeira Grande, this church is recognized for its Manueline, Renaissance and Baroque elements, that include an interior of three naves, separated by arches, it tower and triumphal archways and main Renaissance-era portico and northern arched apse chapel;Church of Nossa Senhora de Verde, constructed in the 15th century, the single nave temple is in considerable ruins, resulting in the closing of the process of classification by the Director of IGESPAR, "not just the state of conservation of the building, but also the fact that it was not possible, actually, classify the structure for municipal use";