Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Santarém > Rio Maior > Marinhas de Sal de Rio Maior
The Rio Maior Salt Pans are located in the village of Marinhas de Sal de Rio Maior, in the municipality of the same name. They are situated approximately three kilometres from the urban centre of Rio Maior, nestled in a peculiar valley at the foot of the Serra dos Candeeiros mountain range. This area is part of the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park, a natural setting of great beauty.
The site is characterized by a rural landscape, surrounded by cultivated fields and vineyards. At an altitude of about 99 metres, it is remarkable that these salt pans are located approximately thirty kilometres from the ocean, presenting a unique setting where the presence of salt is a surprise for many visitors.
The existence of these salt pans inland is a unique geological phenomenon. Millions of years ago, this region was covered by the sea, which, upon receding, left behind a vast and deep rock-salt deposit. An underground water current flows through this deposit, becoming extremely salty before emerging in a central well.
The water extracted from this well is notably saltier than seawater, with a concentration that can be up to seven times higher, comparable to the salinity of lakes like the Dead Sea. The calcareous nature of the Serra dos Candeeiros, with its rocky faults, allows for the formation of these underground water courses, resulting in this "natural wonder" so far from the Atlantic coast.
The Rio Maior Salt Pans boast a rich and long history, with the first documented reference to their existence dating back to 1177, although it is believed that the exploitation of rock salt dates back to prehistory. Over the centuries, Romans and Arabs would have already exploited this valuable natural resource.
Recognized for their importance, the salt pans have been classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1997. For a long time, salt exploitation was a private activity, managed by various owners of the "plots". From 1979 onwards, to ensure their continuity and enhancement, a cooperative was established, which today oversees much of the production and the preservation of traditional methods.
The ensemble of the salt pans reveals itself as a small village, characterized by stone streets and a cluster of wooden houses lining up alongside the evaporation tanks. These constructions, although many have adapted new functions over time, maintain their original design, some displaying typical elements such as structural supports made from olive tree trunks and locks and keys entirely made of wood, designed to resist salt corrosion.
From spring onwards, the "talhos" or crystallizers (shallow compartments made of cement or stone) are filled with the salty water. The evaporation process, driven by the sun and wind, culminates in the formation of white salt pyramids on the "eiras" (drying areas), a process that remains essentially artisanal and unchanged over the centuries, making these the only inland salt pans fully operational in Europe.
The Rio Maior Salt Pans are more than a production site; they are an authentic living museum, where the methods of exploitation and the know-how of the "marinheiros" (salt workers), the men who work the salt, have barely evolved. The work is seasonal, usually between May and September, involving the cleaning of the tanks, filling, and harvesting of the salt. In the past, water was drawn from the well by hand, using "picotas" (hand-operated levers), but today electric pumps facilitate this initial task.
A curious aspect of the local culture was the practice of the old village "taverns," where consumption was recorded on wooden boards using a symbolic "writing" system. Payment was often made in salt, a substance that once served as a medium of exchange and gave rise to the word salary. This cultural legacy, together with the preservation of high-quality salt without chemical treatment, makes a visit to this site an enriching and unique experience.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.3637026,-8.9462179
Coordinates DMS: 39°21'49.3"N 08°56'46.4"W
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