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The Fábrica da Pólvora de Barcarena was in activity between 1540 and 1940, having played an important rôle in the lifes of the local population by creating jobs and promoting the region´s and the country´s development through the production of gunpowder.
Having remained abandoned for some years, the Town Council of Oeiras decided to retrieve the old factory and to transform it into a leisure and cultural center that now presents a variety of motives of interest
Near the entrance you can admire the enormous sun-dial on the ground, both a work of art and an historical object. On your right, the Museum of Black Powder offers the opportunity to learn about the factory´s history over the ages; nearby stands an enormous lake that used to serve as the main cistern. On the left, you will find a sophisticated restaurant and a bar with live music, as well as an art gallery and the Pátio do Enxugo (Drying Yard), with water games and where open-air shows are organized.
Between the Lower Factory (at the entrance) and the Upper Factory, the stream of Barcarena was essential to supply the place with water.
Gunpowder Factory of Barcarena
In the Upper Factory the Viveiros Municipais (Municipal Plant Nurseries)show countless species of flora and there is an enormous garden where children can play and adults relax, read or engage in conversations.
Gunpowder Factory of Barcarena
It is also on this side of the stream that other outbuildings of the factory are situated, showing some of the old machines used in the manufacture of gunpowder over the years.