About Redondo

Redondo is a municipality in the Portuguese district of Évora. The population in 2011 was 3,458, in an area of 180.36 km². The present Mayor is Teresa Caeiro, elected by the Socialist Party. The municipal holiday is July 25. The municipal flag of Redondo, like most others in Portugal, consists of five horizontal stripes of equal width, colored green on the top and bottom, and white in the middle. The coat of arms is placed in the center of the flag, on the white stripe. The coat of arms is quite simple and is composed of a green escutcheon with a white band across the middle, charged with five red discs arranged in a cross. Above the escutcheon is a red five-pointed star. The flag and arms were adopted on November 26, 1985. The municipality is located in the south-central part of Portugal, in the district of Évora. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Vila Nova de São Bento, on the east by Cortegana, on the south by Alandroal and on the west by Montemor-o-Novo. Redondo is about 80 kilometers east of Lisbon. The terrain in the municipality is hilly, with elevations ranging from about 200 meters in the valley of the Rio Mira to over 600 meters on the highest hills. The climate is temperate, with average temperatures in the winter around 10 °C and in the summer around 25 °C. The municipality includes several small villages, the largest of which is the town of Redondo, which is the seat of the municipality. Other villages include Cerro do Lobo, Fajão, Mouchão do Centeio, Piçarrão, Póvoa de São Bento, São Lourenço do Barrocal and Valdegrana. The economy of the municipality is based primarily on agriculture, with wheat, corn and oats being the main crops. Vines are also grown in the region and there is some production of olive oil. There is also some livestock raising, primarily of sheep and goats. The town of Redondo has a small but vibrant historic center, with a number of interesting buildings and monuments. These include the 16th century parish church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, the 18th century Convento de São Francisco, the 18th century Paço Episcopal (Bishop's Palace) and the 19th century Fountain of the Lions. Just outside the town is the Projeto Genoma Humano (Human Genome Project), a research center operated by the University of Évora. Redondo is a great place to live if you enjoy a slower paced lifestyle and being close to nature. The municipality offers a number of outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking and horseback riding. And, of course, the wine and food of the region are not to be missed!