Geological History

Did you know that around 540 million years ago the Arouca region was covered by the sea? Did you know that the valleys and mountains of this region became defined, as we know them, around 2 million years ago? Come and learn about our geological history!

Cambrian

ca. 540 Ma

Deposition of sands, clays and other sediments on the seabed, which gave rise to today’s shales and grauvaques, quartzites and metaconglomerates.

480 Ma

Deposição de areias em mares rasos, que originaram os quartzitos que contêm os icnofósseis. Instalação do quartzodiorito de Arouca.

Deposition of silt and clay that gave rise to the Canelas slates.

Deposition of post-glacial sands.

440 Ma

Deposition of very fine sediments (clay and silica), which gave rise to carbonaceous shales, where graptolite fossils were preserved.

380 Ma

The formation of the supercontinent Pangea began as a result of successive compressive forces, which lasted until the end of the Permian. The compressive forces caused the pre-existing rocks to fold.

320 Ma

The continuous process of Pangea formation led to the formation and subsequent break-up of the Douro Carboniferous Basin. In this context, shales with plant fossils and conglomerates were formed.

At depth, magmas originated which, through cooling and solidification, formed several of the granitic rocks of the Arouca Geopark and countless mineralized veins containing wolfram and tin.

240 Ma

Fracturing of rocks and formation of faults as a result of the final thrusts of the Variscan Orogeny.

Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous

252 a 66 Ma

Erosion of the Varisca mountain range, which continues to this day.

Paleogene

66 Ma a 23 Ma

The Alpine Orogeny began, which reactivated several faults originating in the Variscan Orogeny.

23 Ma a 2,5 Ma

The contours of the Freita and Montemuro mountains are defined, as well as the Arouca and Moldes valleys and the valleys of the Paiva, Arda and Caima rivers.

2,5 Ma até à atualidade

Glaciação e consequente desaparecimento da floresta Laurissilva e origem da floresta Fagossilva. Desenvolvimento das geoformas graníticas atuais. Há 6000 anos, terá ocorrido fixação humana no território Arouca Geopark.