Alcochete
Encyclopedia
Alcochete is a municipality in Portugal
with a total area of 129.0 km² and a total population of 14,347 inhabitants. The municipality is composed of three parishes and is located in Setúbal District. Alcochete is the site of Sporting's academy.
The present mayor is Luís Franco, elected by the Democratic Unity Coalition.
The municipal holiday is June 24.
The largest outlet mall in the Iberian Peninsula
, Freeport Designer Outlet, is just outside town. Alcochete is known for its bullfighting
tradition and its proximity to the longest bridge in Europe
, the Vasco da Gama Bridge.
The actual site of present-day Alcochete was already occupied during Roman
times with a clay
production facility. Its name is thought to derive from the Arabic word for oven for reasons not yet understood. It became a vacation site preferred by the Portuguese royalty and the future king D. Manuel I
was born in the village. It has experienced major development due to the construction of the Vasco da Gama Bridge.
On January 10, 2008, Portuguese prime minister José Sócrates
announced that Alcochete had been selected as the site of the new airport
serving Lisbon
, Portugal's capital. The existing Portela Airport
, which is located within the city of Lisbon
itself, has become too small to handle demand. This preliminary decision will be finalised after public consultation. The location of Alcochete as the construction site of the future Lisbon Airport was confirmed by the Portuguese Government on May 8, 2008.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
with a total area of 129.0 km² and a total population of 14,347 inhabitants. The municipality is composed of three parishes and is located in Setúbal District. Alcochete is the site of Sporting's academy.
The present mayor is Luís Franco, elected by the Democratic Unity Coalition.
The municipal holiday is June 24.
The largest outlet mall in the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, Freeport Designer Outlet, is just outside town. Alcochete is known for its bullfighting
Bullfighting
Bullfighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and some Latin American countries , in which one or more bulls are baited in a bullring for sport and entertainment...
tradition and its proximity to the longest bridge in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Vasco da Gama Bridge.
The actual site of present-day Alcochete was already occupied during Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
times with a clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
production facility. Its name is thought to derive from the Arabic word for oven for reasons not yet understood. It became a vacation site preferred by the Portuguese royalty and the future king D. Manuel I
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
was born in the village. It has experienced major development due to the construction of the Vasco da Gama Bridge.
On January 10, 2008, Portuguese prime minister José Sócrates
José Sócrates
José Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, GCIH , commonly known by José Sócrates , is a Portuguese politician who was the Prime Minister of Portugal from 12 March 2005 to 21 June 2011....
announced that Alcochete had been selected as the site of the new airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
serving Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal's capital. The existing Portela Airport
Portela Airport
Lisbon Portela Airport, also known as Lisbon Airport , is an international airport located north of Castle of São Jorge in the city of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal...
, which is located within the city of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
itself, has become too small to handle demand. This preliminary decision will be finalised after public consultation. The location of Alcochete as the construction site of the future Lisbon Airport was confirmed by the Portuguese Government on May 8, 2008.