Elvas

Elvas is a Portuguese city in the Portalegre district, in the Alentejo region and in the Alto Alentejo sub-region, with 16 640 inhabitants. The total of its current urban perimeter has about 18,000 inhabitants.

It is the seat of a municipality with 631.29 km² in area and 18,000 inhabitants (2011), subdivided into 7 parishes.

The municipality is limited to the north by the municipality of Arronches, to the northeast by Campo Maior, to the southeast by the municipality of Olivença, disputed by Portugal to Spain, to the east by the Spanish municipality of Badajoz, to the south by Alandroal and Vila Viçosa and to the west by Borba and Monforte.

Although Portalegre is the district capital, Elvas is the largest city in the Portalegre district.

At the gates of Spain, just 8 km (in a straight line) from the city of Badajoz, Elvas was the most important stronghold on the Portuguese border, the most fortified city in Europe, and was therefore known as "Rainha da Fronteira".

On September 16, 2013, Elvas and Badajoz signed a union protocol and became the Eurocity Elvas-Badajoz, with the aim of attracting more investment and development to both cities. Another objective of this union is to work together on a cultural, economic and tourist level. The two cities form a city with 210 487 inhabitants (2014).

Elvas is home to the largest set of bastioned fortifications in the world, the walls of Elvas, which together with the historic center of the city are a World Heritage Site, a title awarded by UNESCO on 30 June 2012.

In 2007, according to a study carried out by the newspaper Expresso regarding the quality of life in Portuguese cities, Elvas was classified as the 12th best city in Portugal and the 2nd best in Alentejo, just behind Évora.

(source: www.wikipedia.com)