Former Vouga Pasta Factory

The Vouga Pasta Factory, the entrepreneurial work of a local son by the name of Joaquim Martins, was born in Paradela in the early 1930s. Just as the rudimentary mills of yesteryear were powered by running water, the founder's project foresaw the installation of a small hydroelectric power station in the village of Grela, taking advantage of the river Vouga that flowed there. This was also the place where the founder was born and lived and, just like his house, the dam and power station building still exist and have been preserved.

The success of the new plant was quite significant. It became the largest employer in the region and the Paradela railway station couldn't catch a break with the loading and unloading of goods and the constant movement of people. The building grew, with a frontage of almost 300 metres; next door, a building was erected with several silos so high that they could be seen in the distance, on the other side of the river; and the pasta won international quality awards.

However, the factory closed in the 1980s due to serious economic difficulties. Finally, with the commitment and financial effort of the Sever do Vouga local authority, it was possible to restore the original façades, where you can still see, in tiles from the time, the logo of the old company with the following designation: "Vouga Fábrica de Pasta Alimentícias"; the silos are still standing; and the main building has been completely modernised, now serving as an entrepreneurship hub, VougaPark - Innovation Centre. Thus, not only has the history of all the dynamics that once pulsed here been safeguarded, but the entrepreneurial vocation that is breathed in the place has also been given continuity.