Mafra

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Mafra

[[Image:{{{image_flag}}}|140px|Flag of Mafra]]

Municipal flag

Municipal coat of arms

Location

- Country

- Region

- Subregion

- District or A.R.

Mayor

José Santos

- Party

PSD

Area

291.7 km²

Population

- Total

62,009

- Density

213/km²

No. of parishes

Coordinates

38º95'N 9º24'W

Municipal holiday

Ascension Day
date varies

Website: http://www.cm-mafra.pt/

Mafra (pron. IPA: ['mafɾɐ]) is both a municipality and a town within the district of Lisbon on the Portuguese west coast:

The municipality has a total population in 2002 of 53,069. It is mainly rural with some touristic activity centred in the town Mafra and especially in the seaside city of Ericeira, which has become a key destination for national and international surfers. After the completion of the A8 motorway, linking the eastern part of the municipality to the centre of Lisbon, commuter population has increased substantially.

The town (2002 pop. 11080) is 28km northwest from the center of Lisbon. It is mostly known for the sumptuous baroque style Royal Palace, which also makes it a popular tourist destination in the Lisbon area. Built in the baroque style and reminiscent of the Spanish palace-convent El Escorial, the Mafra National Palace has also inspired Portuguese Nobel Prize laureate José Saramago to write his novel Baltasar and Blimunda (Memorial do Convento). Other points of interest around the city include the Tapada Nacional de Mafra, an enclosed wildlife and game reserve.