her presence, but also her material wealth, which she brought into monastic service. By this time, the monastery was a sanctuary for nuns, and the principal economic center of the Arouca valley. Following the death of D. Mafalda, in 1256, the prestige of the monastery continued, carried on by here former support, memory, religious and cult. She was beatified in 1792 and her remains placed in an urn, executed in ebony, crystal, silver and bronze in one of the wings of the monastery's church (where her body was later moved in 1793). The municipality of Arouca evolved from a long process over the centuries, inheriting civil parishes and integrating municipalities from the 19th century. The municipality of Vila Meã do Burgo originated the parish of Burgo, which was annexed by Arouca in 1817. With the extinction of the municipalities of Alvarenga (1836) and Fermêdo (1855) many of the former parishes were integrated into Arouca: the parishes of Santa Cruz de Alvarenga, Canelas, Janarde and Espiunca were folded in from Alvarenga and the parishes of São Miguel do Mato, Fermêdo, Escariz and Mansores were annexed from Fermêdo. The parish of Covêlo de Paivó, which belong to the municipality of São Pedro do Sul, was annexed in 1917. The historical centre of Arouca, which included many the current parishes was constituted by the seats of São Bartolomeu (in 1846 the parishes of São Bartolomeu de Arouca and Santo Estêvão de Moldes), Cabreiros, Albergaria da Serra, part of São Salvador do Burgo, Santa Eulália, São Miguel de Urrô, Várzea, Rossas, Santa Marinha de Tropêço and Chave. Geography Physical geography The Arouca is a fertile valley, almost entirely enclosed with a mountainous plateau, with only the western edge open to the rest of the country. To the north is the Serra do Gamarão, to the east the conic mountain of Mó and the Serra da Freita ao Sul., and to the south is the ridge of Montemuro (the highest point in the municipality). Here is situated the Pedra Posta, at approximately , relatively close to the Noninha. The existence of tungsten mines in this region, has historical attracted foreign mineral exploration companies. In the towns of Rio de Frades (parish of Cabreiros) and Regoufe (parish of Covêlo de Paivó), until the end of the Second World War, there functioned both English and German mining companies, that continued their mining operations (although at less intense