Matacães

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (December 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Matacães is a parish in Torres Vedras municipality, 50km north of Lisbon. The name Matacães has a literal translation of "kill dogs" or "dog killer". This name has its origin back in the Middle Ages, in the period of the Reconquest and it refers to the killing of the Moors, at that time settling in the area.

Landlords would give pieces of land to their servants to settle and farm as reward if they kicked out the Moors. A castro and a necropolis indicate that this area has been inhabited since pre-history. From Roman times there is a gravestone with astral signs. In the 18th century, the Portuguese and the British army fought against the Napoleon army in this area and its surroundings.

[edit] External links

• Distrito Portugal