Geomonument of Sampaio Bruno Street

Category: Nature > Reserva natural

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Campo de Ourique

Location

The Sampaio Bruno Street Geomonument is located in the vibrant Campo de Ourique area, a residential and commercial neighborhood in the city of Lisbon. Situated at the intersection of Rua Sampaio Bruno and Rua Coelho da Rocha, this spot discretely integrates into the urban landscape. Its position on a quiet street in the neighborhood allows for careful observation, away from the hustle and bustle of the main thoroughfares, inviting a reflective pause amidst the daily life of Lisbon.

A Window into the Distant Past

This Geomonument is a remarkable testament to Lisbon's geological evolution, revealing a history that dates back approximately 20 million years. During that period, known as the Miocene, the landscape that now constitutes much of the Portuguese capital was submerged. Lisbon was then a warm, shallow, and transparent-water sea, dotted with reefs and corals, resembling a tropical environment.

The Fossil Record

At the Sampaio Bruno Street Geomonument, it is possible to observe the vestiges of this ancient ocean. The exposed rocks contain fossils of bryozoans, tiny millimeter-sized invertebrate animals that formed colonies and inhabited the reefs of that era. These fossils are the record of abundant marine life and help to imagine the tropical landscape that existed long before the city's foundation. Their preservation allows for an understanding of the gradual transformation of the environment, from a seafloor to the formation of the current urban soil.

A Space for Knowledge

With the aim of safeguarding and making this important element of natural heritage accessible, the Geomonument underwent careful intervention. The rocks were protected by a support structure, and a tile panel was installed, displaying enlarged images of the bryozoans, revealing details impossible to see with the naked eye. On the wall adjacent to the sediment, a concise phrase invites imagination: "Here was sea 20 million years ago". This inscription establishes a dialogue between the present and a deep geological past, stimulating curiosity about the Earth's history inscribed within the city itself.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt