Cabo Mondego is part of the Lusitanian Basin and is located on the western edge of the Serra da Boa Viagem (latitude 40º 11´ 3´´ N, longitude 08º 54´34´´W), approximately 6 km northwest of Figueira da Foz.
Classified as a Natural Monument since 2007, it is undoubtedly one of the most important testimonies for understanding the geological history of Portugal; It represents, in a particularly complete way, some of the most important episodes in the history of the Earth that occurred during the Jurassic period, for a time span of approximately 185 to 140 million years, which justifies, at an international level, the relevance of its classification, conservation, and dissemination.
The outcrop comprises a series of marine and fluvial-lacustrine sediments extending from the Upper Toarcian to the Titonian. This record, at some levels, is particularly continuous and rich in paleontological, sedimentological, and paleomagnetic information, which is associated with exceptional observation conditions. It includes levels with the oldest megalosaurid footprints (bipedal and carnivorous dinosaurs) described in Portugal, the first reference to which dates back to 1884.
Source: CMFF