About Sardoal

Sardoal is a municipality in the district of Santarém in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 9,854, in an area of 208.78 km². The municipality is composed of 33 civil parishes (freguesias). The present Mayor is Rui Gonçalo Coutinho Nunes, elected by the Socialist Party. The municipal holiday is Saint James, celebrated on July 25. Sardoal was created in 1304, during the reign of King Dinis of Portugal. The territory of Sardoal belonged to the ancient municipality of Alcanhões. With the administrative reform of March 11, 1836, the municipality of Sardoal was created, comprising the parishes of Sardoal, Alcanhões, Benfica do Ribatejo, Casével, Chão de Couce, Fetais, Fior da Rosa, Grou, Linda-a-Velha e Cruz Quebrada, Meirinhas, Mourisca, Nossa Senhora do Livramento, Póvoa de Midões, Rio de Moinhos, São Cipriano, São Geraldo, São Mateus de Albergaria, São Miguel de Albergaria, Serra and Vila Nova da Barquinha.[4][5] In 2013, Sardoal won the prize of "Best Municipality in Portugal for Quality of Life", awarded by Exame Magazine and the University of Aveiro.[6][7] The municipality is crossed by the River Tejo. On its left bank is the Albufeira do Campilho, a reservoir with an area of 1.5 km².