Cabo Espichel

Cabo Espichel.

Cabo Espichel (lit. Cape Espichel) is a cape located to the west of Sesimbra, Portugal. Tourists are drawn there due to impressive views of its cliffs facing the Atlantic Ocean.

The location is famous for the a sanctuary complex (Santuário de Nossa Senhora do Cabo Espichel), built extremely close to the edge of the tall cliffs, which includes a church still in use today.

Also famous, are the several dinosaur fossil trackways exposed in some of the now tilted Jurassic strata which form the cape's cliffs. It is said that local superstition interpreted the trackways as the path taken by the Holy Virgin ("Nossa Senhora") when riding a giant mule from the ocean and up the cliffs, which led to the eventual construction of the convent at that location.

Coordinates: 38°24′50″N 9°13′19″W / 38.414°N 9.222°W / 38.414; -9.222

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