Serpa () is a city and a Concelho (municipality) in the central Portuguese region Alentejo. The population in 2011 was 15,623, in an area of . The Guadiana River flows close to the town of Serpa. History Serpa has its origins in early settlement that preceded the Roman occupation of the Iberian peninsula. The neighbouring town of Beja (known as Pax Julia by the Romans) became the capital of southern Lusitanian (Pacensis). Serpa grew through the settlement of Roman colonists, with proof coming from various archaeological remains within the Roman villa. Moorish settlement followed this period, and remained until the Reconquista (the Christian re-conquest of Iberia). As a result of Serpa's proximity to the Spanish border, the town has always been a defensive stronghold. In the 13th century, owing to its location on the left bank of the Guadiana, it was occupied by forces loyal to Castile. On 1281, King D. Alfonso X of Castile delimited the municipality, attributing a Foral (charter) to the town, from Seville, in order to encourage settlement and expansion. Following the Reconquista, in 1295, Serpa received a new foral from Portuguese King D. Dinis. The local keep that dominated Serpa was partly damaged as a result of the last Spanish invasion. At that time, the king ordered the re-construction of the castle, as well as the erection of a wall fortification. A new foral was issued in 1513, by King D. Manuel I, who was the former master of Serpa. During the 17th century, the walls and system of bastions were adapted to serve as a defensive line by Nicolau de Langres (1665). On 30 January 1954, the walls of Serpa were classified as a Monumento Nacional (National Monument). Following the Carnation Revolution (in 1974), the Portuguese Communist Party gained strong support in the area, where it continues to be popular. On 26 August 2003, the town of Serpa was elevated to city status. Meanwhile, on 28 January 2013, the historic centre of Serpa (that included the principal civil parishes) of São Salvador and Santa Maria, was re-incorporated into a single civil parish (Decree 11-A/2013, Diário da República, Série 1, 19). Geography Administratively, the municipality is divided into five civil parishes: Brinches Pias Serpa (Salvador e Santa Maria) Vila Nova de São Bento e Vale de Vargo Vila Verde de Ficalho Climate Economy The area surrounding Serpa consists mostly of farms and cultivated lands of