Foz d’Égua is one of the 27 schist villages of Portugal located in the municipality of Arganil. Due to its appearance, the village is often called the Portuguese Indiana Jones village or Portuguese Shire. The village has a terraced layout crossed by two streams converging into one. The double bridges connect the two sides of the village. There is also a wooden suspension bridge which gives the Indiana Jones vibes to the place. However, the visitors are not allowed to use this bridge due to safety reasons. The village also reminds one of the Shire as it entirely consists of small houses made of dark schist and slate, surrounded by greenery.
Foz d’Égua is one of Portugal’s 27 schist villages, dating from the 12th and 13th centuries.
Foz d’Égua is one of the five schist villages in the Açor Mountains region. It is also possible to find six of them along the Zezere River, four in the Tejo-Ocreza region, and twelve in the Lousã Mountains. All the schist villages date from the 12th and 13th centuries. However, the original residents had to abandon these villages in the 20th century due to economic reasons. Fortunately, the Portuguese government initiated a repopulation project in most of these settlements, also reintroducing traditional crafts, farming, and construction methods using schist.
