Arraiolos

Arraiolos (pronounced [ɐʁɐˈjɔluʃ] ), officially the Town of Arraiolos (Portuguese: Vila de Arraiolos), is a town seat of the Arraiolos Municipality in the Évora District of Portugal. As of 2021, the municipality had a population of 6,606 people and covered an area of 683.75 square kilometres (264.00 mi2). The town itself was home to 3,133 residents in the same year. The current Mayor is Silvia Pinto, elected by the Unitary Democratic Coalition. The town is famous for its castle and its embroidered wool rugs and carpets. Arraiolos rugs have been made since at least the 16th century. In October 2003, Jorge Sampaio, the then President of Portugal, invited the Presidents of Finland, Germany, as well as of soon-to-be EU members Hungary, Latvia and Poland to Arraiolos in order to discuss the consequences of the 2004 enlargement of the European Union and plans for a Constitution for Europe. Subsequent meetings of non-executive presidents of European Union member states have been dubbed Arraiolos meetings.