Alcácer do Sal

**Alcácer do Sal**
	Alcácer do Sal
	Municipal flag
	Municipal coat of arms
Location
- Country	Portugal
- Region	Alentejo
- Subregion	Alentejo Litoral
- District or A.R.	Setúbal
Mayor	Pedro Paredes
- Party	PS
Area	1465.0 km²
Population
- Total	13,624 (2004)
- Density	9/km²
No. of parishes	6
Coordinates	38°21'N 08°29'W
Municipal holiday	Saint John; June 24
	Website: http://www.m-alcacerdosal.pt

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Alcácer do Sal and the Sado river. The castle is uphill in the picture.

Alcácer do Sal (Portuguese pronunciation: [aɫˈkasɛɾ du ˈsaɫ]) is a municipality in Portugal, located in the district of Setúbal. It has a total area of 1465.0 km² and a total population of 13,624 inhabitants.It is one of the largest Portuguese municipalities in area.

The city proper includes two parishes and has a population of 6,602 and the municipality is composed of 6 parishes.^[1]

The present Mayor is Pedro Manuel Igrejas da Cunha Paredes (Socialist), who was elected after a long period of rule by the Portuguese Communist Party.

The municipal holiday is June 24, the day of Saint John the Baptist.

[edit] History

The history of human occupation in this region roots back to the Paleolithic. The Phoenicians called this place Keition, and there are evidences that its inland port already had a strategic importance, extended to the Lusitanian age. But it was with the Romans that the city achieved its golden era. Its unique geo-strategic location made it of major importance in the Iberian salt trade and salt trade routes, which rendered its classical name (Salatia) and at a given time, this was the only Imperial City in the region, properly known has Salatia Urbs Imperatoria, and it had a regional chief role which extended through the Visigothic domain.

A very interesting museum, documenting the occupation of the city since the Iron Age, exists under the castle, now a Pousada hotel.

[edit] Modern name

During the Ummayad occupation of the Iberian Peninsula and following an internal victory over Muladi rebels in the IX century, the city was donated to the Abu Denis family and renamed Qaşr Abī Dānis (قصر أبي دانس ) = "Castle Abu Denis"^[2], commonly known just as Al Qaşr = "The Castle". Upon the Reconquista, the Arabic name Al Qaşr name was not removed but simply respelled according to the Latin phonetics and the Sal (from Salatia) was retrieved and appended to it.