Algoz

Algoz is a former civil parish in the municipality of Silves, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the new parish Algoz e Tunes.The name of the village has its origins in the Arabic word "Al-Gûzz" which derives from the name of the Turkic Oghuz people from the Middle East, whose members settled in the area in the 12th century. The patron saint of the village is Our Lady of Mercy. To the south of the village on a hill is the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Pilar, from here there are fine views across the area. On the eastern slopes of this hill there is meadow called Amoreira. There have been many archaeological finds here revealing much about Algoz past. There are also two other chapel in the district. The one in the west is dedicated to Saint Sebastian and one in the west dedicated to Saint Joseph.LocationThe village of Algoz is in an area of the Algarve called the Barrocal or gulley region. It is 14km south east of Silves and it is 258km south south east of Lisbon. The settlement stretches along an open valley, bounded on the south by a mountain and on the west by further highlands. The parish is bordered to the north by São Bartolomeu de Messines, to the east is Tunes and Pêra on the south and west. A stream also called the Algoz runs to the north of the village from an easterly direction, and from the north west a tributary joins the stream which is called Barranco Longo. Further on the stream flows under the Alcantarilha bridge the name of the stream changes to the Enxurrada or the Alcantarilha stream. This watercourse finally flows into the atlantic between Pêra and Armacão de Pêra.