Arraiolos (pronounced [ɐʁɐˈjɔluʃ] ) is a municipality in Évora District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 7,363,[1] in an area of 683.75 km2.[2] The town of Arraiolos has 3,351 inhabitants. The present Mayor is Silvia Pinto, elected by the Unitary Democratic Coalition.
Arraiolos | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 38°43′N 7°59′W / 38.717°N 7.983°W | |
Country | Portugal |
Region | Alentejo |
Intermunic. comm. | Alentejo Central |
District | Évora |
Parishes | 5 |
Government | |
• President | Silvia Pinto (CDU) |
Area | |
• Total | 683.75 km2 (264.00 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 7,363 |
• Density | 11/km2 (28/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC±00:00 (WET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+01:00 (WEST) |
Local holiday | Ascension Day date varies |
Website | www |
The town is famous for its castle and its embroidered wool rugs and carpets. Arraiolos rugs have been made since the Middle Ages.[3]
In October 2003, Jorge Sampaio, the then President of Portugal, invited the Presidents of Finland, Germany, as well as of soon-to-be EU members Hungary, Latvia and Poland to Arraiolos in order to discuss the consequences of the 2004 enlargement of the European Union and plans for a Constitution for Europe.[4] Subsequent meetings of non-executive presidents of European Union member states have been dubbed Arraiolos meetings.
History
editA hoard of prehistoric objects, including a trapezoid-shaped plaque with geometric design and three pottery vessels, was excavated from a tumulus or barrow in Arraiolos at the beginning of the twentieth century. They are now kept at the British Museum.[5]
See also
edit- Vendas Novas for similar hoard
Parishes
editAdministratively, the municipality is divided into 5 civil parishes (freguesias):[6]
- Arraiolos
- Gafanhoeira e Sabugueiro
- Igrejinha
- São Gregório e Santa Justa
- Vimieiro
Notable people
edit- Joaquim Heliodoro da Cunha Rivara (1809 in Arraiolos – 1879 in Évora) a physician, professor, intellectual and politician
- Francisco José Caeiro (1890 in Vimieiro – 1976) a politician and former Minister and law professor.
Gallery
edit-
A house in Arraiolos.
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The local castle.
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View of the countryside from the castle.
References
edit- ^ Instituto Nacional de Estatística
- ^ "Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país". Archived from the original on 2018-11-05. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ^ Fleming, John & Hugh Honour. (1977) The Penguin Dictionary of Decorative Arts. London: Allen Lane, p. 35. ISBN 0713909412
- ^ "Foreign Policy Events, 13-20 October 2003". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Latvia). Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ^ British Museum Collection
- ^ Diário da República. "Law nr. 11-A/2013, page 552 19" (pdf) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2014.
External links
editMedia related to Arraiolos at Wikimedia Commons