It is the see of the municipality of the same name with 103,56km² of area and 15,002 inhabitants (2001), subdivided into 4 parishes (freguesias). The municipality is limited to the North and West by the municipality of Leiria, to the East by Vila Nova de Ourém, to the Southeast by Alcanena and to the Southwest by Porto de Mós.

The town was founded by King D. João I of Portugal, jointly with the Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória na Batalha, to pay homage to the Portuguese victory at the Battle of Aljubarrota (August 14, 1385) that put an end to the 1383-1385 crisis.