Santarém – The Portuguese Gothic Capital
FACTS AND NUMBERS Area – 552.54 km2 Population – 63,563 Parishes – 18 Region – Ribatejo President – Ricardo Gonçalves (Social Democratic Party) Municipal Holiday – 19th March SANTARÉM AND ITS HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Santarém has 3 000 years of History embedded in its hills. The town has had various names through the ages, such as: Scallabis, when it was founded, Presidium Julium, under the Roman domination, Sancta Irene (or Iria), with Receswinto and the Visigoths, Shantarin, during the
