Palmella

Palmella, a town of Portugal, in the district of Lisbon (formerly included in the province of Estremadura); at the northeastern extremity of the Serra da Arrabida, and on the LisbonSetubal railway. Pop. (1900), inclusive of the neighbouring village of Marateca, 11,478. Palmella is an ancient and picturesque town, still surrounded by massive but ruined walls and dominated by a medieval castle. Viticulture, marketgardening and fruit-farming are important local industries. Palmella was taken from the Moors in 1147 by Alphonso I. (Affonso Henriques), and entrusted in 1186 to the knights of Santiago. The title "duke of Palmella" dates from 1834, when it was conferred on the statesman Pedro de Sousa-Holstein, count of Palmella (1781-1850).