Marvão

Marvão is a municipality in Portalegre District in Portugal. The population in 2020 was 2,972, in an area of 154.90 km2. The present Mayor is Luís Vitorino, elected by the Social Democratic Party. The municipal holiday is September 8.

Perched on a quartzite crag of the Serra de São Mamede, Marvão's name is derived from an 8th-century Muwallad rebel, named Ibn Marwan. Ibn Marwan, who constructed the Castle of Marvão - likely on the site of an earlier Roman watchtower - as a power base when establishing an independent statelet - covering much of modern-day Portugal - during the Emirate of Cordoba. The castle and walled village were further fortified through the centuries, notably under Sancho II of Portugal and Denis of Portugal.