Arraiolos Explained

Type:municipality
Official Name:Arraiolos
Flag Border:no
Coordinates:38.7167°N -66°W
Region:Alentejo
Cim:Alentejo Central
District:Évora
Leader Party:CDU
Leader Name:Silvia Pinto
Area Total Km2:683.75
Population Total:7,363
Population As Of:2011
Parishes:5
Holiday:Ascension Day
date varies

Arraiolos (pronounced as /pt-PT/) 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.

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

A 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

Parishes

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 5 civil parishes (freguesias):[6]

Notable people

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xlang=en&xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_indicadores&indOcorrCod=0005889&contexto=pi&selTab=tab0 Instituto Nacional de Estatística
  2. Web site: Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país . 2018-11-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181105172426/http://www.dgterritorio.pt/cartografia_e_geodesia/cartografia/carta_administrativa_oficial_de_portugal_caop_/caop__download_/carta_administrativa_oficial_de_portugal___versao_2017__em_vigor_/ . 2018-11-05 . dead .
  3. Fleming, John & Hugh Honour. (1977) The Penguin Dictionary of Decorative Arts. London: Allen Lane, p. 35.
  4. Web site: Foreign Policy Events, 13-20 October 2003. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Latvia). 5 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20141209011635/http://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/news/Newsletters/CurrentLatvia/2003/okt/4116/. 9 December 2014. dead.
  5. https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/search.aspx?place=4150&plaA=4150-3-1 British Museum Collection
  6. Web site: Law nr. 11-A/2013, page 552 19. 16 July 2014. Diário da República. Portuguese. pdf.