Cork tour images


Cork:  A pure natural produce of Portugal

Cork: A pure natural produce of Portugal


Discovering cork tour

Discovering cork tour


Museu do Traje, São Brás de Alportel

Museu do Traje, São Brás de Alportel

This is where the tour starts and ends


Alportel: Fonte Férrea

Alportel: Fonte Férrea


Alportel: Fonte Férrea

Alportel: Fonte Férrea


Alportel: Fonte Férrea

Alportel: Fonte Férrea

In June 2017 the creek was completely dry


Alportel: Cork oak forest

Alportel: Cork oak forest

The forests around São Brás are naturally grown, producing the highest quality of cork


Young cork tree

Young cork tree


Cork tree: mark

Cork tree: mark

The number indicates the year of the latest harvest (2008), and C.M. stands for Câmara Municipal


Cork harvesting

Cork harvesting

Every seven years a part of the cortex of the cork ork is excoriated.


Cork tree

Cork tree

Only the main trunk is harvested regularly


Damaged cork tree

Damaged cork tree


Cork factory in Mesquitas

Cork factory in Mesquitas

After the harvest, the cork bark is stored outside for several months before it is processed.


Cork factory

Cork factory

At the left side bundles of processed cork of 65kg each are stapled to be delivered to other factories for final processing. The pile of cork bark in the background is cork of superior quality that needs selection and finishing by hand.


Bunch of preprocessed cork

Bunch of preprocessed cork


Cork factory

Cork factory

The cork bark is cooked twice for one hour to o clean the cork, to extract water-soluble substances, to increase thickness and thus reduce density, to improve flexibility and elasticity.


Cork factory

Cork factory

This staple of quality cork is selected and cut to regular pieces by hand


Cork factory

Cork factory

Our guide Patricia explains how to distiguish the quality of the cork


Cork factory

Cork factory

The bark is selected and cut by hand


São Brás: Museu do Traje

São Brás: Museu do Traje

Exhibition of carts and carriages in the courtyard of the museum


São Brás: Museu do Traje

São Brás: Museu do Traje

This donkey cart was used to transport the harvested cork bark


São Brás: Museu do Traje

São Brás: Museu do Traje

Exhibition in the former stables


São Brás: Museu do Traje

São Brás: Museu do Traje

Exhibition of ancient cork harvesting and processing


São Brás: Museu do Traje

São Brás: Museu do Traje

Ancient scale for cork bark


São Brás: Museu do Traje

São Brás: Museu do Traje

Ancient tub to cook the bark and press


Cork stoppers

Cork stoppers

Only the expert can distinguish the quality of the cork used to cork a bottle


Art handicraft with cork

Art handicraft with cork

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