​PALMELLA, a town of Portugal, in the district of Lisbon (formerly included in the province of Estremadura); at the north-eastern extremity of the Serra da Arrabida, and on the Lisbon-Setubal railway. Pop. (1900), inclusive of the neighbouring ​village of Marateca, 11,478. Palmella is an ancient and picturesque town, still surrounded by massive but ruined walls and dominated by a medieval castle. Viticulture, market gardening and fruit-farming are important local industries. Palmella was taken from the Moors in 1147 by Alphonso I. (Affonso Henriques), and entrusted in 1186 to the knights of Santiago. The title " duke of Palmella " dates from 1834, when it was conferred on the statesman Pedro de Sousa-Holstein, count of Palmella (1781–1850).