Nazaré, Portugal
Template:Infobox Municipality pt Nazaré (pron. IPA: [nɐzɐ'ɾɛ]) is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 82,4 km² and a total population of 14,904 inhabitants.
According to legend, the city would derive its name from a Maria statue brought here by a monk in the 4th century from Nazareth, Palestine.
It has become a popular tourist attraction, advertising itself as a pictoresque seaside village. Located at the Estramaduran coast of the Atlantic, it has long sandy beaches (among the best beaches of Portugal) that are crowded with tourists in the summer. The city used to be known for its traditional costumes of the fishermen. Their wives were dressed in black, wearing the traditional headscarve and embroidered aprons over seven flannel skirts in different colours. These dresses can still occasionaly be seen.
The city consists of three parts : A Praia (along the beach), O Sítio (the old town, on a hilltop, that can be reached by funicular) and Pederneira (on another hilltop).
The original settlement was in Sítio on the rock face 110 m above the beach. It was their safe base against raids of Algerian, French, English and Dutch pirates that lasted even till the beginning of the 19th century. The Church of Nossa Senhora da Nararé was built to commemorate the miraculous intervention in saving the life of a 12th century knight.
The fishing boats, with the Phoenician signs on the prow, are no longer being hauled in on the beaches by oxen, but lie now in the new harbour, just south of Nazaré
The municipality is composed of 3 parishes, and is located in the District of Leiria.
The present Mayor is Jorge Antunes Barroso, elected by the Social Democratic Party.
The municipal holiday is September 8 with a Romaria da Senhora da Nazaré a religious festival with with processions, bullfights and folk dancing.
Parishes
Twin Cities
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