Pinhel opens Falconry and assumes itself as a Falcon City

On Sunday, Pinhel Town Hall, in the district of Guarda, will inaugurate the Falconry, a half-million euro facility that aims to be another attraction in the town known as Falcon City.

“The Falconry fits in with Pinhel’s title as a Falcon city. It’s an investment of around half a million euros, with the support of Turismo do Centro de Portugal, which we hope will attract more visitors to the municipality and the region,” the mayor of Pinhel, Rui Ventura, told Lusa.

With the equipment located next to the Castle, the municipality wants to give visitors the chance to watch shows and interact with the falcon and other birds.

“People can spend some time in Pinhel, a week or several days, and learn how to look after the falcon and also learn how the falcon feeds, works and educates itself,” said the mayor.

As of Sunday, the space will operate in partnership with falconer Paulo Martinho, who will be at the Falconry and will put on a show of the falcon and other birds, as requested by the public.

“Over the next few years we hope to promote the falcon throughout the city, not only in this space, but also between Torres and over the Falcon City, which is Pinhel,” said Rui Ventura.

The opening of the Falconry is part of the “See and Feel the Falcon” project outlined by the City Council, which includes the creation of several viewpoints along the course of the River Côa, linked by walking routes.

“The aim is for people to walk through our Côa Valley, feel the presence of the falcon in the Côa Valley and then enjoy and feel the falcon in their own hands through the Falconry,” said the mayor.

The first landscape observation point created was the Miradouro da Faia, located in the parish of Vale do Côa, which was inaugurated in April 2022.

There are plans to build a viewpoint in Vale Madeira, where the trail begins, another in Bogalhal Velho and another in Cidadelhe, where the trail that flows into the Côa Valley ends.

The Falconry will be inaugurated on Sunday at 11 a.m., as part of the celebrations for the 254th anniversary of Pinhel’s elevation to city status.