Though Portugal had its share of dinosaurs, the unearthing of Europe’s largest dinosaur cemented its position on the dinosaur map of the world. The remains were excavated from the backyard of a property in Monte Agudo, Pombal, in August 2022. It included the vertebrae (around 82 ft in length) and ribs (around 10 ft long) of a fossilized brachiosaurid sauropod skeleton. The excavation began in 2017 when the property owner contacted the University of Lisbon after noticing fragments of fossilized bones during construction work. Researchers estimate the dinosaur to be 82 feet long and 39 feet tall. It was from the Upper Jurassic to the Lower Cretaceous period around 160-100 million years ago.

The above event has led scientists to the conclusion that the Pombal region in the country has a vital record of Late Jurassic vertebrates, encouraging further excavations. Apart from it, fossils of other kinds of dinosaurs were found in Lourinhã.

List of Dinosaurs That Lived In Portugal

• Allosaurus
• Apatosaurus
• Brachiosaurus
• Ceratosaurus
• Dacentrurus
• Stegosaurus
• Torvosaurus

Places Where the Fossils are Preserved

The city of Lourinhã is known as the capital of dinosaurs due to its fossil-rich Jurassic outcrops. A visit to the open-air museum and park here allows one to discover fossil bones in their natural surroundings as well as enjoy the scenic beauty. A nest was found here in 1997 containing dinosaur eggs with embryos. The Natural Monument of Carenque in Belas, Sintra, has more than 100 footprints and one of the longest dinosaur tracks on the continent. It is over 120 m (390 ft) long.