Serra da Estrela

Serra da Estrela
A snow-covered Serra da Estrela in January
Highest point
Peak	Torre
Elevation	1,993 m (6,539 ft)
Coordinates	40°19′18.72″N 7°36′46.68″W / 40.3218667°N 7.6129667°W / 40.3218667; -7.6129667
Geography
Serra da Estrela Location in Portugal
Country	Portugal
Parent range	Sistema Central
Geology
Type of rock	Granite

Serra da Estrela (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈsɛʁɐ ðɐ ɨʃˈtɾelɐ]) is the highest mountain range in Continental Portugal. Together with the Serra da Lousã it is the westernmost constituent range of the Sistema Central and also one of the highest in the system. It includes mainland Portugal's highest point at 1,993 metres (6,539 feet) above mean sea level (although the summit of Mount Pico in the Portuguese Azores islands is higher). This point is not a distinctive mountain summit, but rather the highest point in a plateau, being known as Torre ("Tower" in English). Torre is an unusual summit in that it is accessible by a paved road. The peak has a topographic prominence of 1,204 m (3,950 ft) and its parent peak is Pico Almanzor, in Spain.^[1]

The mountain range, situated between the municipalities of Seia, Manteigas, Gouveia, Guarda and Covilhã, is about 100 kilometres (60 miles) long and is 30 km (19 mi) across at its widest point. It is formed from a huge granite ridge that once formed the southern frontier of the country.