Santa Combinha

   Macedo de Cavaleiros

 The village of Santa Combinha, with 67 inhabitants, is 12 km away from Macedo de Cavaleiros. It was disunited from the Council of Bragança on 31st December 1855, and joined the Council of Macedo de Cavaleiros in 1895.

   Some of the most important religious heritage of this village are the Parish Church and St Gonçalo’s Chapel.

    Its location overlooking the Azibo Lagoon makes this parish one of the most favoured in the council. It has a Rural Shop and several touristic and leisure infrastructures related to the Azibo: a Pegada’s Crag fluvial beach, picnic park, Azibo’s Sports Centre, and a multipurpose pavilion with internet and a café-restaurant.

Nearby the village, the island of Fidalgo presents two distinct human occupations, chronologically and spaciously.

The first one refers to a group of elements of Rupestral Art, located in the northwest shore of the island. A rectangular panel, with about 4 mts height and 3 mts wide, with dimples of different diameters and depths, vertical and horizontal lines, which combine in a mixture of abstract patterns: notched, filiform or stitching. Traditionally these patterns have been introduced in the Bronze Age.

The second one refers to a probable inhabited area, which dates back to Protohistory and is located on the hill’s top of the island, an excellent site with a peripheral view. This area also presents favourable conditions of natural protection, either for its height or for the existence of schist scarps of an outstanding slope, particularly in the north hillside.

Pegada’s Crag, near to the beach with the same name, is a monument built by the outcrop of natural schist with engravings and carvings from various eras, and it is at present being studied by scientists. In the 19th century it served as a natural border between the councils of Bragança and Macedo de Cavaleiros.