Antes: Local History and Legends

Antes reveals itself through a long history and local tales revolving around water and hidden spaces. For choosing a destination, this connection offers two perspectives on the place: early written references and historic chapels sit alongside orally transmitted legends. The timeline ranges from prehistoric settlement to a stone cross dating from 1992.

Early Traces and Local History

The area of Antes was inhabited as early as prehistoric times. The first known mention of the place name appears in the inventory of the villas belonging to the Mosteiro da Vacariça; there, the name “Eilantes” is recorded. Another specific date is 1139: the Capela de São Pedro is described as the former Igreja de São Félix, which Pedro Anes and his wife Goda bequeathed to the Sé de Coimbra. Thus, the local history brings together early records of the name and a dated donation.

Chapels and Historical Connections

Other chapels also point to different chapters in the local history. The Capela de São Brás is considered the strongest evidence of Antes’s great age and bears traces dating from the 16th century. The Antiga Capela Particular later became the property of the monks of the monastery of Alfora. In the garden of the Capela de São José stands a Cruzeiro em Pedra de Ançã, erected in 1992. These connections differ considerably: they range from a chapel’s documented historical significance to a later association with a monastery, and then to a named stone cross with a specific year.

Water and Hidden Spaces in the Legends

Local traditions connect several places with stories about the underground. The Cave of Maria Rinchoa is located in Alfora, formerly Alfavara, on the boundary between the parishes of Antes and Sepins. According to legend, the Lagoa do Sume was also formed by an underground river said to run there. According to tradition, older residents of Antes once tried to explain why wells near the Sume had water while neighboring wells had none.

Another tale concerns the Lagoela in Sabarrô, on the boundary between Antes and Ventosa. There were said to be openings through which a few daredevils, secured by ropes, made their way into underground chambers; a river is said to run through these as well. A related tradition is associated with the Capela de São Pedro: a river may flow beneath it, possibly the same one that feeds the Sume. Water is therefore the common theme in these legends, while the cave, chambers, wells, lagoon, and chapel each remain distinct settings for the tales.

Discover more destinations: Luso, Grada, Vacariça, Mealhada, Pampilhosa do Botão.

Go to the main travel overview: Mealhada.