Amadora

Although it was only officially created in 1979, when it ceased to be a parish of Oeiras, Amadora is the most densely populated county of Portugal, with nearly 176 thousand residents.

This is due to its central position in the Greater Lisbon area and to the development of an active business and industrial sector, although the rapid urbanization favoured the growth of problematic neighbourhoods and unattractive high-rise apartment blocks.

However, the human occupation of the area goes back to pre-historic ages, as several remains from the Neolithic period that are one of the county's main attractions confirm, and it was considered a pleasant and fertile zone from Roman and medieval times to the middle of the 20th century.

The most interesting archaeological site is the Necropolis of Carenque, formed by three collective tombs in the shape of caves dug into the rocks, which includes a nucleus of the Archaeological Municipal Museum.

Other interesting monuments are a section of the great �guas Livres (free waters) Aqueduct which crosses the county, built by order of king Jo�o V in 1731 to bring fresh water to Lisbon, as well as the Gargantado Aqueduct, built at the end of the 18th century to use the water supplied by the Gargantado natural spring, near Carenque.

The architectural patrimony of Amadora also includes several fine manors, such as the 18th-century Casa do Infantado or the Casa Roque Gameiro, with a fine collection of decorated tiles, built between 1898 and 1901 by the painter after which it is named and representing a typical example of the �Portuguese House� inspired by popular architecture of different regions.

However, the most popular symbol of the county are the Benfica Gates, on the border between Lisbon and Amadora, with two groups of four turrets from the beginning of the 20th century that were used to control the entrance of goods in the capital and charge taxes on the sale and consumption of food and other products.

| Hotels (2) | Pensions and Boarding Houses (2) |