Algueirão–Mem Martins

Algueirão–Mem Martins
Settlement
Coat of arms
Country	Portugal
Region	Lisbon
Metropolitan area	Lisbon
District	Lisbon
Area
• Total	16.00 km2 (6.18 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	66,250
• Density	4,100/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC±00:00 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+01:00 (WEST)

Algueirão – Mem Martins (Portuguese pronunciation: [aɫɡɐjˈɾɐ̃w̃ ˈmɐ̃ȷ̃ mɐɾˈtĩʃ]) is a Portuguese civil parish, in the municipality (concelho) of Sintra. The population in 2011 was 66,250, in an area of 16.00 km². it has a population density of about 4000 inhabitants per kilometer square (and is one of the most densely populated parishes in Portugal).

It was elevated from the status of village to town on 1 February 1988.

History

Toponymy

The toponym 'Algueirão' dates back the Muslim presence in the region between the 8th and 12th centuries. It evolved from the Arab term al-gueirān, meaning the caves.

'Mem Martins' is a proper name of uncertain origin, consisting of the medieval given name Mem and the patronymic Martins, likely after one of the first property owners in the region following the Portuguese conquest of Lisbon and Sintra.

Architecture

• Fountain of Sacotes ([Fontanário de Sacotes] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help))
• Church of Nossa Senhora das Mercês ([Capela e Recinto da Feira das Mercês/Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Mercês] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)), a 17th-century church and churchyard;
• Hermitage of São Romão ([Ermida de São Romão] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)), a Manueline-era rural hermitage, comprising one nave with chapel covered in vaulted ceiling.