The construction of dams in some cases implies the submersion of villages and Portugal carried out these works in some localities of the country. In the inhabited areas, villages were rebuilt, or housing was offered to those whose properties were submerged in the creating of the dams.

Currently, due to the effects of the severe drought that the country has been going through, some of these villages are emerging.

Vilar da Amoreira

Located in the district of Coimbra, the dam located in the parish of Portela do Fojo, in Pampilhosa da Serra, is one of the largest dams in Portugal. Vilar de Amoreira was the village that disappeared with the construction of the dam. Submerged by the river Zêzere, the ruins of a village that has been underwater since 1954, whenever the water level drops can be seen.

Vilarinho da Furna

In 1971 Vilarinho da Furna was flooded, in the Peneda-Gerês National Park. The village was inhabited by about 300 people, who had to move to neighbouring towns. Nostalgia is felt by many whenever the waters recede as they remember the village as it was originally built, with granite dwellings, characteristic of the region.

The drought has also affected some localities in Spain, namely in the region of Galicia. The Lindoso dam began receiving water in 1992, flooding five villages in the area. Now, the extreme drought has meant that the dam has only 20 percent of its full capacity, revealing the old dwellings.

The localities are now exposed and people have been heading to the dams, which are now practically empty, to visit the places that are described as ghostly.

In some places, the authorities are banning visits, due to the lack of security that some areas may present.

Author

Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos