The symbol of this town is the famous "Porca de Murça", a great stone statue in the shape of a pig, originating from the Iron Age and believed to be linked to the ancient fertility rites of the Celtic peoples. It is also said that this figure represents a very ferocious wild bear, which used to terrify the local population. According to this version, the lord of Murça organised a hunting party, finding and killing the animal, and this statue was then erected to mark the occasion.
In the heart of the Douro demarcated wine region, Murça gives great importance to the activity of farming, with the region's economy being dependent not only upon wine-making, but also on the production of olive-oil and honey. |