Palmela Municipality

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Palmela
Municipality

Flag
Coat of arms
Location in Portugal
Coordinates: 38°40′N 8°58′W / 38.667°N 8.967°W / 38.667; -8.967Coordinates: 38°40′N 8°58′W / 38.667°N 8.967°W / 38.667; -8.967
Country  Portugal
Region Lisboa
Subregion Península de Setúbal
District/A.R. Setúbal
Government
 • Mayor Ana Teresa Vicente (CDU)
Area
 • Total 463.0 km2 (178.8 sq mi)
Population
 • Total 58,222
 • Density 126/km2 (330/sq mi)
Parishes (no.) 5
Municipal holiday
June 1
Website http://www.cm-palmela.pt

Palmela (Portuguese pronunciation: [pɐɫˈmɛlɐ]) is a town and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 463 km2 (179 sq mi) and a total population of 58,222 inhabitants.

The municipality is composed of 5 parishes, and is located in Setúbal District, about 25 km (16 mi) south of Lisbon.

The municipal holiday is June 1.

Parishes

General information

View of Palmela, with the Municipality building (foreground) and castle uphill.
Castle of Palmela and surrounding landscape.

The town's name comes from her Roman founder, Cornelius Palma (Palmella). Palmela, once a fortress, was conquered by the Portuguese in the 12th century, from Muslim invaders. It is located up a hill in the Arrábida area, and it's a semi-rural town, right in the middle of Portugal's biggest urban area, though the fact that many people are moving in from big cities like Lisbon represents a problem. Wild fires in the region are another threat to the environment.

The town's ex libris is the castle (Castelo de Palmela), which offers a unique view over the whole region of Setúbal's Peninsula, Lisbon, and the Atlantic Coast. It was a strategic place in past centuries, and today it is still a main knot of Portugal's road and rail networks.

Palmela is home to many multinational industrial plants like Volkswagen or Coca-Cola, and a significant number of foreign families live in the area. The local radio often broadcasts in Ukrainian.

Palmela's traditional products are the wine, which has achieved international awards in several festivals like Bordeaux's, and the Queijo de Azeitão (Azeitão's cheese), also very appreciated. There are several festivals dedicated to these products, being the most famous the Festa das Vindimas (Vines' Festival) and the Festival do Queijo, Pão e Vinho (Festival of Cheese, Bread and Wine).

Palmela is the birthplace of the Portuguese explorer Hermenegildo Capelo and, as a curiosity, where some famous individuals such as Hans Christian Andersen were briefly hosted.

Economy

The municipality is famed for the production of fruit and wine.

In the 1990s, the joint-venture Volkswagen-Ford AutoEuropa vehicle production plant opened, to produce the Mk1 MPV sold under three marques: Volkswagen Sharan, SEAT Alhambra, and Ford Galaxy. After Ford left the joint-venture, the plant has since continued to produce the Volkswagen and SEAT products, and added the Volkswagen Eos and Volkswagen Scirocco.

See also

  • Palmela IPR

References

    External links

    Media related to Palmela at Wikimedia Commons

    Municipalities of Setúbal District
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