Paul do Mar

Parish of Paul do Mar

Area: 1,4 km²
Population: 871 inhabitants (Census 2011)
Population density: 520,6 hab/km²
Distance to the centre of the municipality: 8,5 km

History

The name comes from the orography of the parish which according to Dean Gonçalves Andrade, the area “forms a valley under tall cliffs, by the sea”. One of the earliest settlers, João Anes do Couto founded the chapel of Santo Amaro, the former parish seat.

The sea, abundant in fish, is of great importance to the local population so much so that in 1912 the tuna canning industry developed there. The old chimney of the factory bears witness to the now extinct activity.

Build Heritage

Parish church of Santo Amaro

With the increasing population, the modest chapel of Santo Amaro was the parish seat in 1676. Santo Amaro was the patron of the Coutos Estate. João Anes de Couto was given land, settling in Paul do Mar. His son Francisco do Couto Cardoso was buried in the church (two tombstones exist next to the alter with inscriptions referring to this family).