Cape St. Vincent

{{Short description|Southwesternmost point of Portugal}} {{other uses}} {{Infobox cape | name = Cape St. Vincent | native_name = {{native name|pt|Cabo de São Vicente}} | other_name = | etymology = [[Vincent of Saragossa]] | image = SaoVicente.JPG | caption = North shore of Cape St. Vincent as seen from the lighthouse | image_size = 235 | location = [[Portugal]], [[Algarve]], [[Faro (Portuguese district)|Faro]], [[Sagres (Vila do Bispo)|Sagres]] | part_of = [[Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park]] | coordinates = {{coord|37|1|30|N|8|59|40|W|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref = | pushpin_map = Portugal | map_caption = Location of the Cabo de São Vicente in continental Portugal }} '''Cape St. Vincent''' ({{langx|pt|Cabo de São Vicente}}, {{IPA|pt|ˈkaβu ðɨ sɐ̃w viˈsẽtɨ}}) is a headland in the [[Municipalities of Portugal|municipality]] of [[Vila do Bispo]], in the [[Algarve]], southern [[Portugal]]. It is the southwesternmost point of Portugal and of mainland [[Europe]].

== History == Cape St. Vincent was already sacred ground in [[Neolithic]] times, as standing [[menhir]]s in the neighborhood attest. The [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]] called it [[Ophiussa]] (Land of [[Serpent (symbolism)|Serpents]]), inhabited by the [[Oestriminis]] and dedicated here a temple to [[Heracles]]. The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] called it ''Promontorium Sacrum'' (or Holy Promontory). Strabo, in his ''[[Geography (Strabo)|Geography]]'' 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 to [[Posidonius]]<ref>[[Strabo]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0239%3Abook%3D3 Geography, III]</ref>

According to legend, the current name of this cape is linked to the story of a martyred fourth-century Iberian [[deacon]] [[Vincent of Saragossa|St. Vincent]] whose body was brought ashore here. A shrine was erected over his grave; according to the Arab [[geographer]] [[Al-Idrisi]], it was always guarded by [[raven]]s and is therefore named by him كنيسة الغراب (''Kanīsah al-Ghurāb'', meaning "Church of the Raven"). King [[Afonso Henriques]] (1139–1185) had the body of the saint exhumed in 1173 and brought it by ship to [[Lisbon]], still accompanied by the ravens. This transfer of the relics is depicted on the [[coat of arms of Lisbon]]. All existing buildings—including the ''Vila do Infante'' of [[Henry the Navigator]]—fell into ruins because of the [[1755 Lisbon earthquake|Lisbon earthquake]] of 1755. The [[Franciscan]] [[friar]]s who cared for the shrine stayed on until 1834, when all monasteries were disbanded in Portugal.

===Naval battles=== Numerous [[Sea battle|sea battles]] have been fought off the cape: * In 1337, a Castilian fleet defeated a Portuguese fleet in the [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1337)]]. * In 1606, a Spanish fleet defeated a Dutch fleet in the [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1606)]]. * In 1641, a Spanish fleet fought with a Dutch fleet in the [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1641)]]. * In 1681, a Spanish fleet defeated a Brandenburger fleet in the [[action of 30 September 1681]]. * In 1693, a French fleet defeated an Anglo-Dutch squadron in the [[Battle of Lagos (1693)]]. * In 1719, a Spanish fleet defeated a British squadron in the [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1719)]]. * In 1751, a Spanish fleet defeated an Algerian fleet in the [[action of 28 November 1751]]. * In January 1780, a British fleet defeated a Spanish fleet in the [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1780)]]. * In August 1780, a Spanish fleet (along with French ships), defeated a British convoy in the [[action of 9 August 1780]]. * In 1797, a British fleet defeated a Spanish fleet in the [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797)]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/14012/page/474|title = Page 474 | Issue 14012, 23 May 1797 | London Gazette | the Gazette}}</ref> * In 1833, a Loyalist fleet defeated a Miguelite fleet in the [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1833)]].

==Geography==

This cape is the southwesternmost point in Portugal. It forms the southwestern end of the [[E9 European Coastal Path]], which runs for {{convert|5000|km|mi|abbr=on}} to [[Narva-Jõesuu]] in [[Estonia]]. Approximately six kilometers from the village of Sagres, the cape is a landmark for a ship traveling to or from the [[Mediterranean]]. The cliffs rise nearly vertically from the Atlantic to a height of {{convert|75|m|sigfig=2}}. The cape is a site of exuberant marine life and a high concentration of birds nesting on the cliffs, such as the rare [[Bonelli's eagle]], [[peregrine falcon]]s, [[Kite (bird)|kites]], [[rock thrush]]es, [[rock pigeon]]s, [[stork]]s and [[Ardea (genus)|herons]].

{{main|Lighthouse of Cabo de São Vicente}} The present lighthouse is {{convert|24|m|ft}} high and was built over the ruins of a 16th-century [[Franciscan]] convent in 1846.<ref name="SIPA">{{citation |url=http://www.monumentos.pt/Site/APP_PagesUser/SIPA.aspx?id=16894 |title=Fortaleza do Cabo de São Vicente/Convento do Corvo/Convento de São Vicente do Cabo/Farol de São Vicente (IPA.00002891/PT050815040005) |publisher=SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico |editor=SIPA |location=Lisbon, Portugal |language=pt |first1=João |last1=Neto |first2=António |last2=Xavier |year=1998 |access-date=2 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818075259/http://www.monumentos.pt/Site/APP_PagesUser/SIPA.aspx?id=16894 |archive-date=18 August 2016 }}</ref> The statues of [[Vincent of Saragossa|St. Vincent]] and St. [[Francis Xavier]] had been moved to church of Nossa Senhora da Graça on [[Sagres Point|Point Sagres]] {{convert|3|km|mi|sigfig=1}} away.<ref name=SIPA/> This lighthouse, guarding one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, is among the most powerful in Europe (the most powerful being [[Phare du Creach]] on the French island of [[Ushant]], off the coast of [[Brittany]]); its two 1,000-watt lamps can be seen as far as {{convert|60|km|mi|sigfig=1}} away.<ref name=SIPA/>

===Climate=== Cape St. Vincent has a [[Mediterranean climate]] with very low seasonal variation and high occurrence of [[fog]]s.

{{Weather box | location = Cape St. Vincent, 1931-1960, elevation: {{convert|67|m|abbr=on|disp=or}} | metric first = yes | single line = yes

| source 1 = [[IPMA]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Font Tullot |first1=Inocencio |title=Climatología de España y Portugal |date=2000 |publisher=Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca |location=[Salamanca] |isbn=9788478009442 |page=341 |edition=Nueva versión |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uf46Uka-ViAC}}</ref> }}

[[File:Cape Sao Vicente Lighthouse.jpg|thumb]]

==Gallery== <gallery> File:Cape St. Vincent (1879) - TIMEA.jpg|An 1879 sketch of the St. Vincent lighthouse File:Cabo Sao Vicente (25581534256).jpg|The cliffs of the St. Vincent coast File:Algarve_coast.jpg|An aerial view of the southwestern St. Vincent coast File:Cape St. Vincent Lighthouse.jpg|Cape St. Vincent lighthouse </gallery>

==References== ===Notes=== {{Reflist|30em}}

===Sources=== * {{citation |title=The Rough Guide to Portugal |edition=11th |date=March 2005 |isbn=1-84353-438-X|last1=Ellingham |first1=Mark |last2=Brown |first2=Jules |last3=Fisher |first3=John |last4=Kenyon |first4=Graham |last5=Hancock |first5=Matthew }} * {{citation |last=Rentes de Carvalho |first=J. |title=Portugal, um guia para amigos |language=pt |publisher=Arbeiderspers |location=Amsterdam |edition=9th |date=August 1999 |isbn=90-295-3466-4}}

[[Category:Geography of Faro District]] [[Category:Headlands of Portugal|Sao Vicente, Cabo de]] [[Category:Cliffs of Portugal|Sao Vicente, Cabo de]] [[Category:Places in Greek mythology]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in Faro District]]