ALENQUER

'Alenquer' (pron. ) is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 304.2 km² and a total population of 42,932 inhabitants. The municipality is composed of 16 parishes, and is located in the District of Lisbon.
The present Mayor is Álvaro Joaquim Gomes Pedro, elected by the Socialist Party.

Contents

History

Parishes

Notas

External links

History

The name Alenquer is said to derive from the germanic "Alen Ker" meaning the ''Temple of the Alans'', and the city itself is, legend says, is said to have been established by the Alanian king Attaces.^[1]. The Alans' dog, the Alaunt, is represented in the city's coat of arms. This is nothing but a legend, though, as there have been settlemenst in the area before Roman times^[2], and these were also established there, namely in the location of ''Ierabriga'' or ''Lerabriga''^[3]. The city's castle, however, may have been established by the Alans, or maybe the Visigoths^[4].
Alenquer recived it's Foral in 1212 by the hand of Infanta Sancha, Lady of Alenquer, daughter of King Sancho I of Portugal.

Parishes

★ Abrigada

★ Aldeia Galega da Merceana

★ Aldeia Gavinha

★ Cabanas de Torres

★ Cadafais

★ Carnota

★ Carregado

★ Meca

★ Olhalvo

★ Ota

★ Pereiro de Palhacana

★ Ribafria

★ Santo Estêvão (Alenquer)

★ Triana (Alenquer)

★ Ventosa

★ Vila Verde dos Francos

Notas

1. Milhazes, José. Os antepassados caucasianos dos portugueses - Rádio e Televisão de Portugal in Portuguese.
2. Official site - History: Origins in Portuguese.
3. Official site - History: Roman period in Portuguese.
4. Official site - History: Barbarian invasions in Portuguese.

External links

'Official websites:'

★ Official site
'Other websites:'

★ Fórum Alenquer