Natural Monument

Portas de Ródão is a geological formation near Vila Velha de Rodão, and results from the intersection of the hard quartzite reliefs of Talhadas Mountain with the course of  Tejo river. Two cliff walls (h.170 meters) reminiscing of two "gates", one on the north of Vila Velha de Rodão county and other on Nisa County causing an impressive thinning of the course of Tejo river. The beginning of this thinning in the river caused by erosion, started 2.5 million years ago, and went through several stages expressed in the river terraces and platforms embedded by erosion and visible on the right margin downstream from the natural monument.

Portas de Rodão are the habitat of the biggest population of griffon vultures in Portugal and  more than a hundred other species of bird fauna can be observed - Black Stork, Black Vulture , Bonelli's eagle... Presence of several mammals - Boar, Deer, Genet... and several fish - Barbel, Nase, Carp...

At the top of the "northern gate" is located the small castle of King Wamba from where you have a panoramic view of the Tejo valley.