Mortágua | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 40°26′N 8°14′W / 40.433°N 8.233°W | |
Country | Portugal |
Region | Centro |
Intermunic. comm. | Região de Coimbra |
District | Viseu |
Parishes | 7 |
Government | |
• President | Ricardo Pardal ([[Socialist Party (Portugal)]) |
Area | |
• Total | 251.18 km2 (96.98 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 9,607 |
• Density | 38/km2 (99/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC±00:00 ( WET) |
• Summer ( DST) | UTC+01:00 ( WEST) |
Local holiday | Holy Thursday |
Website | http://www.cm-mortagua.pt/ |
Mortágua (Portuguese pronunciation: [muɾˈtaɣwɐ] or [mɔɾˈtaɣwɐ] ⓘ) 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]
The present mayor is Ricardo Sérgio Pardal, elected in 2021 by the Socialist Party.
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]
Administratively, the municipality is divided into 7 civil parishes ( freguesias): [4]