Mortágua

Mortágua (Portuguese pronunciation: [muɾˈtaɣwɐ] or [mɔɾˈtaɣwɐ] (listen)) is a municipality in the district of Viseu, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 9,607,[1] in an area of 251.18 km².[2]

For the Portuguese wine grape known as Mortágua, see Touriga Nacional.
Mortágua
Municipality
View of Mortágua valley
Flag
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 40°26′N 8°14′W
Country Portugal
RegionCentro
Intermunic. comm.Região de Coimbra
DistrictViseu
Parishes7
Government
 • PresidentJosé Júlio Norte (PPD-PSD)
Area
 • Total251.18 km2 (96.98 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total9,607
 • Density38/km2 (99/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC±00:00 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+01:00 (WEST)
Local holidayHoly Thursday
Websitehttp://www.cm-mortagua.pt/

The present mayor is José Júlio Norte, elected in 2013 by the Social Democratic Party.

History

Legend suggests that that village was formed on a lake; settlers recalled that Água Morta (dead water) existed here, but no physiological evidence remains of the body of water.[3] Over time, the name stayed and evolved, becoming the variant today of the local municipality.

About 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from the main village is a hill, covered in vegetation, but whose lateral flank was occupied by a Moorish settlement known as Crasto.[3] Over a cliff archeologists discovered several homes including a building that was defined as a kitchen, on its edge.[3]

By 1895, several chapels were situated on this hilltop, which had become known as Cabeça da Senhora do Mundo (owing to the existence of an image to that invocation).[3]

Geography

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 7 civil parishes (freguesias):[4]

  • Cercosa
  • Espinho
  • Marmeleira
  • Mortágua, Vale de Remígio, Cortegaça e Almaça
  • Pala
  • Sobral
  • Trezói

References

Notes
  1. Instituto Nacional de Estatística
  2. "Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país". Archived from the original on 2018-11-05. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
  3. J.L. de V. (1895), p.10
  4. Diário da República. "Law nr. 11-A/2013, page 552 78" (pdf) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 July 2014.

Sources
  • J.L. de V., "Antiguidades de Mortágua", O Arqueólogo Português (PDF) (in Portuguese) (Série 1 ed.), Lisbon, Portugal: DGPC, p. 10



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