Thread: Azores

The Azores. Situated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, about two hours flying time from Lisbon (about 1,500 Km) and five hours flying time from the eastern coast of North America (about 3,900 Km), the archipelago is spread out in the area of the parallel that passes through Lisbon (39º, 43'/39º, 55' North Latitude), giving it a moderate climate, with mild annual oscillation.

The nine islands have a total area of 2,355 Km2.
Their individual areas vary between 747 Km2 (S.Miguel) and 17 Km2 (Corvo). The volcanic origin of all the islands is revealed by their volcanic cones and craters. Pico, a volcano that stands 2,351 meters high on the island of the same name, has the highest altitude in the Azores.

The outline of the garden-like islands on the horizons of the sea. Peace and quiet. Flowers in the fields, in the villages, in the houses. The blue and green of dreamy lagoons. A pace of life in which there is time to stop and appreciate living. Art treasures that recall pages of a centuries-long history. Nature in all its original splendor. A meeting with the past involved in everyday life.
Invitations to discover and experience a different world, repeated on each of the nine islands of the Azores.

Sao Miguel - The Green Island


Introduction

The transparent water of the lagoons with legends of kings and lost cities. The infinite number of hues of green of the landscape. The profusion of flowers all year round. The monuments and museums. The inviting fragrance of tropical fruits. The sandy ribbons of the beaches, the natural swimming-pools nestling among the rocks. The unique experience of enjoying a meal cooked by the earth's heat. Details of the exciting scenery that the island of São Miguel offers to its visitors...that will captivate you for ever...

Geography

São Miguel, the largest island in the archipelago of the Azores, has a land area of 759.41 km2: its length is 65 km and its maximum width is 16 km. The island is composed of two volcanic massifs separated by a central ridge with a low altitude The highest point, called Pico da Vara, with an altitude of 1,080 metres, is situated in the eastern massif. The large craters of Sete Cidades, Fogo and Furnas contain wonderful lakes of crystal-clear water. The island is situated at 25º 30' West longitude and 37º 50' North latitude.

History

Settlement started in 1444, after Prince Henry the Navigator had cattle put ashore on seven islands of the archipelago. Its captaincy was entrusted to Gonçalo Velho, knight and friar of the Order of Christ. The first inhabitants, from the Portuguese provinces of Estremadura, Upper Alentejo and Algarve, were later joined by Madeirans, Jews, Moors and possibly Frenchmen (a tradition recalled by the name of the parish of Bretanha - Brittany).
The fertility of the soil and the island's geographic position on the cross-roads of Europe, Africa and America contributed to rapid economic expansion based on the production of wheat (exported to the Portuguese garrisons of the North African strongholds), sugar cane, the dye-yielding plants called woad and archil (sold to Flanders), wine and dairy products One century later, sweet potatoes, maize, yams, flax and oranges came to broaden the range of the island's agricultural output. The victim of attacks by French, English and Algerian corsairs in the late 16th and part of the 17th century, São Miguel was occupied by Spanish forces in 1582 after the defeat, off Vila Franca do Campo, of a French fleet which had Portuguese among its crews and which supported the claims of Dom António Prior do Crato, to the Portuguese throne.
With the Restoration of Portugal's independence in 1640, São Miguel recovered its position as a trading centre and developed contacts with Brazil, to where it sent groups of settlers.
The export of oranges to England brought São Miguel great prosperity as from the end of the 18th century. The orange groves were destroyed by a blight starting in 1860 but the local capacity for enterprise soon led to the introduction of new crops - tobacco, tea, flag, chicory, sugar-beet and pineapples - which guaranteed economic survival. With the passing of the years, these crops were joined by several industries and a growth in fisheries and livestock rising. Today São Miguel is one of the political and administrative centres of the Region, and an island with a diversified economy that is experiencing marked progress.

Ponta Delgada

At first a simple village inhabited by fishermen attracted by its safe inlets, it soon came to be the main port of the island, which justified the transfer of the custom-house to Ponta Delgada in 1518 and its being made capital of São Miguel in 1546. Fortifications were built in the 16th and 17th century to defend it from corsair attacks. Economic expansion led to the town's being enriched with palaces and churches in the 18th and 19th century. After the landing by constitutional forces at Pesqueiro da Achadinha, in the north-eastern region, in 1831. Ponta Delgada became the port of departure of the liberal expedition that went ashore in northern Portugal in 1832 and, right after the siege of Oporto. Proclaimed the Constitutional Charter and Queen Mane II, daughter of D. Pedro IV About 3.500 Azoreans, most of them from São Miguel, took part in the expedition. The building of the artificial port, work on which was started in 1861, came to lend dynamism to Ponta Delgada, and several industries wore set up around it. In 1947 the opening of the road artery called Avenida do Infante D. Henrique changed the appearance of the town and hid the original ports of São Francisco and Caldeira da Ribeira de Valverde, closely linked to line island's history, Nowadays Ponta Delgada is one of the administrative centres of the Autonomous Region and the main pole of the University of the Azores set up in 1975. It is also the largest town in the archipelago.
The interesting places to visit are: Parish Church of São Sebastião, Church of São Pedro, Church of São José, Convent and Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Esperança, Church of the Colégio, Church and Asylum of Santa Bárbara, Chapel of the Asylum of Santa Ana, Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Fort São Brás, Redoubt of Mãe de Deus, Town gates, Conceição Palace, Fonte Bela Palace, Santa Catarina Palace, Santa Ana Palace, Town Hall, Historical centre and Carlos Machado Museum.

Ribeira Grande

Attracted by a swift-flowing stream, the first settlers built many water-mills that paid rent to the captain-donee. In 1507 the settlement received a town charter from King Manuel. The weaving of linen and wool brought the town prosperity in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The woollen industry underwent great development with the arrival of French workers during the reign of Louis XIV (1716) and its connection with the great manufacturing schemes of Colbert. The town's prosperity and growth led to its being rose to the status of a city in 1981.
The interesting places to visit are: Church of Nossa Senhora da Estrela, Church and Monastery of São Francisco, Church of Espirito Santo, Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Town Hall, Historical centre.

Art and History

Lagoa. Centre of the São Miguel pottery industry, which started in the l9th c. Pieces of great beauty. Fishing port.
Places to visit: Church of Santo António, belonged to the annexed Franciscan monastery. Example of 18th c. Baroque Azorean architecture; Chapel ot Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, a 15th c. construction Hispano-Arab glazed tiles.
Agua de Pau. Borough seat from 1515 to 1853. Typical narrow streets recalling Portuguese town of bygone times. Interesting urban centre of Alto do Monte Santo. 18th c houses. Parish church (16th c.). Facade with the Cross of Christ.
Caloura. Formerly Vale de Cabaços. Characteristic village, set among vineyards protected by stone walls. Picturesque fishing port on a narrow creek. Swimming-pool at the end of the breakwater.
Place to visit: Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição. Integrated in the monastery of Recollects (Calouras). Founded in the 17th c. interesting example of Baroque architecture. Facade and interior covered with glazed tiles Chancel, retable with funny angels with thick moustaches. Glazed tile portraits of St. Teresa of Avila and St. Philip Nery. Statues attributed to a French sculptor who, with his son, lived among the Recollects of Franciscan monks. Altars with carved woodwork. Tombstones with poetical inscriptions. Interesting gratings carved out of the store of the lateral facade. Churchyard with a bucolic atmosphere and leafy trees Ruins of former fortifications.
Fort Nossa Senhora da Conceição. 17th c. fortress built to defend the harbour.
Vila Franca do Campo. The first capital of the Island. Partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1522. Picturesque fishing town. Pottery making centre with a centuries-long tradition.
Places to visit: Church of Sao Miguel; Church of São Pedro; Church of Santo André and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz.
Povoação. Place where the first inhabitants of the island settled. Picturesque fishing port. Example of Azorean town planning of the 19th and 20th century. Crossed by a stream. Surrounded by seven hills that afford excellent views.
Places to visit: Chapel of Santa Bárbara. Built in the 15th c., restored in the 19th c. is considered the first place of worship to have been built in São Miguel (undergoing reconstruction).
Nordeste. Situated in the far east of the island, in an area with up and downs but of great beauty. Interesting and picturesque town. The Town Hall is an example of l9th c. urban architecture.
Place to visit: Church of São Jorge.
Achadinha. Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário. Has its origin in a 16th c. construction. Rebuilt in the l9th century. Retable of the high and side altars. Gilded, carved woodwork.

The charm of the landscape

Caideira das Sete Cidades. Large crater with a perimeter of 12 km. The unforgettable scene of Lagoa Verde (literally, Green Lake) and Lagoa Azul (Blue Lake) framed by steep slopes covered with trees and flowers. The banks and small peninsula of Lagoa Azul are an invitation to restful walks and picnics, to the enjoyment of peace and quiet. Legend attributes the different colour of the waters to line tears shed by a princess and a shepherd who wept when their love was thwarted and thus created the two lakes at the bottom of the crater. Inside the crater lies the picturesque village of Sete Cidades, with curious houses in a popular architectural style and a 19th c. neo-Gothic parish church, as well as green pastures and the modest but attractive lake called Santiago. Next to Lagoa Azul there is a picturesque garden with magnificent trees and masses of azaleas.
Belvederes of Vista do Rei (connected with King Carlos's visit in 1901) and Cerrado das Freiras. Interesting views from the road that has been built along part of the rim of the crater, with luxurious rows of hydrangeas. Successive lovely views along the road that connects the above mentioned Parish Church to the village of Várzea by crossing the mountains.
Pico do Carvão. A peak that provides broad views of the sea and the centre of the island, dominating the northern and southern coasts. Nearby lay Lakes Carvão, Canário and Rasa, besides other, smaller ones, surrounded by the cool green of the trees and pastures.
Lagoa do Fogo. The crater of an extinct volcano. An enormous lake with transparent waters Peninsula with beach. Atmosphere of great calm and beauty. Splendid vistas of the sea and mountains. Nearby lies Lakes Congro and Nenúfares, of small size but great beauty.
Furnas Valley. Huge hollow and luxurious garden in which the colour of the flowers is mixed with the bright green of the Japanese cedars and araucarias. Leafy vegetation from cold and tropical countries, with some species that are hard to find in their lands of origin, Calm and romantic Lake Furnas, with the Gothic profile of José do Canto's chapel - dedicated to Our Lady of Victories - reflected on its clear waters, invites the visitor to rest for a few minutes. On its banks are volcanic solfataras and the "natural kitchens" in which the famous dish called cozido is cooked by burying in the soil hermetically closed pots containing meat and vegetables.
The Caldeiras or craters are an area with diverse forms of volcanic activity, one the most spectacular being Caldeira de Pero Botelho with its boiling mud. Next to the Caldeiras are springs of thermal water at various temperatures. A full-fledged spa, with Pavilions and a hospital (19th c.), is integrated in this complex.
Based on plantations started by Thomas Hickling in the 18th century and continued in the 19th century, Terra Nostra Park, in the picturesque parish of Furnas, is a romantic vision of ponds, winding paths, flowers, centuries-old exotic trees and silence, Two streams converge in the park and there is a pond of warm thermal water that is used as a swimming-pool. A golf course and tennis courts are also part of the tourist complex of Furnas Valley.
The valley is crossed by two fast-flowing streams, one with cold water and the other with warm water coloured by iron in suspension. Typical water-mills exist.
Nearby lies the height called Pico de Ferro, a belvedere affording an expansive view of Furnas Valley. There are also a lot of small waterfalls.
Tronqueira. Grandiose scenery made up of ridges and passes, with magnificent vistas of greenery and the sea. Forestry park, The culminating point is Pico de Vara that, with an altitude of 1,080 metres, is the highest in the island. Excellent view of the eastern part of the island.

The magic of the sea

The indented coast of São Miguel provides sea-lovers with charming beaches nestling among cliffs, and also natural swimming-pools formed among the rocks.
São Pedro. Natural pool integrated in Ponta Delgada.
São Roque. The calm and family-type "beaches of Milicias or Areal Grande, and Areal Pequeno. Supporting facilities. Nearby lies Fort São Caetano.
Pópulo. Stretch of sand on a cosy bay, surrounded by verdant countryside. Pine grove on the slope of a dune. In the vicinity, the Chapel of Madonna del Popolo (17th c.), part of an old noble manor-house.
Lagoa (Baixa da Areia). Welcoming natural swimming-pool. Close to it lies the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Cabo de Finisterra.
Caloura. Picturesque fishing port. Natural pool. Diving and underwater observation centre.
Agua d'Alto. Long stretch of sand between two promontories.
Ribeira Chã. Quiet cosy beach.
Islet of Vila Franca do Campo. A natural shell with a small but charming beach. Can be reached only by boat. Nature reserve.
Ribeira Quente. Typical fishermen's village. Close by lies a quiet, lonely shell-like beach called Praia do Fogo. Along the access road, torrents of ferrous water and luxurious vegetation.
Porto Formoso. Typical parish. In the surroundings, there is a small isolated beach. Ruins of a former coastal defence fortress. To the west, Praia dos Moinhos, a broad stretch of sand with calm waters. Mouth of a stream with crystal-clear water.
Capelas. Village hanging over the sea. Natural swimming-pool. Broad views of the northern coast of the island from the hill called Morro das Capelas.
Mosteiros. Picturesque parish. Coast cut by inlets and rocks. Natural pool. In the vicinity, the islets of Mosteiros and Pico das Camarinhas, with curious vestiges of the island's original vegetation.

The joy of the festivals

The religious spirit of the Azorean is made keen by natural catastrophes and the isolation to which they were subjected for centuries, during which visits by ships were few and far between and inter-island relations were very weak, is expressed in forms that testify to the past and to a way of life that still persists.
Festivals of Senhor Santo Cristo at Ponta Deigada. The most important religious festivities in the Azores are held on the fifth Sunday after Easter.
Everything started at the end of the 17th century with the fame of the miracles obtained through the intercessors of the Senhor Santo Cristo (literally Lord Holy Christ), whose image is venerated in the Convent of Nossa Senhora da Esperança. The procession dates from that period, and even nowadays follows the same itinerary and covers a large part of Ponta Delgada The procession comprises tens of thousands of the faithful who come from every island in the Azores, the Azorean communities spread over the world and other origins. At festival time the town is decorate with arches and fascinating illuminations. The streets where the procession passes are covered with carpets of artistically laid out flowers. The blessing of the bread and meat, distributed among the needy, marks the start of the festivities. This is followed on Sunday by the procession with the image under its famous baldachin decorated with flowers.
To the devotion shown by the faithful must be added the conviviality and joy of the profane part of the festivities, complete with fireworks and music played by dozens of bands. Ponta Delgada is transformed into a town full of colour and animation during the six days the festival lasts.
Holy Ghost Festivals - all over the island. Of Medieval origin (13th c.) they are one of the most traditional expressions of devotion. They are held on Sundays from April to June. Presenting different characteristics from island to island and from village to village, their common features are the coronation of the "emperor", the feast day on which the offerings of bread, meat and wine - called "pensions" - are distributed among the needy and the "brothers" of the "Empire" and the "jesters" who, with their musical instruments and songs recall age-old customs. The most colourful festivals of the Holy Ghost take place at Rabo de Peixe, with ox-carts decorated with fanciful ornaments made of coloured paper, and at Ribeira Grande, where girls march in a procession carrying trays on their head with the "pensions" of the "brothers" of the Holy Ghost.
The Lenten pilgrims - all over the island. During the seven weeks of Lent, groups of men walk round São Miguel, led by a "master" and pray next to the churches and chapels dedicated to Our Lady. Eight days after they return to their home villages, there is a festival in which all the inhabitants of the parish take part.
St. Peter's cavalcades - Ribeira Seca. A "king" or headman, knights, lance's, stewards and trumpeters dressed in white, with red capes and sashes, mounted on splendid horses, ride through the streets in the morning of St. Peter's day (29th June), repeating ceremonies whose origin is lost in time and which recall the tournaments of knighthood. A colourful spectacle which heads toward the centre of the town of Ribeira Seca and has its culminating point at the church of São Pedro when the "king" greets the saint in verse and makes his horse place its front hoofs on the door of the church.
Procession of Our Lord of the Sick - Furnas. The streets, covered with petals lay out in artistic designs, are the scene of the procession. The carpets of petals display all the hues of the flowers of the Azores. Held on the first Sunday after Easter.
St. Michael's or Labour Procession - Vila Franca do Campo. A throw-back to the Middle Ages and the corporations of craftsmen in a procession in which the various professions gather round the litter bearing their patron saint. The colours of the surplices worn by the participants define their profession. A splendid and long procession. Take's place on the Sunday following the 8th May.
Festival of Born Jesus da Pedra - Vila Franca do Campo. The image of the Born Jesus (literally, Good Jesus) is carried Saturday evening to the church of São Miguel. It is returned in procession to the church of the Misericórdia on Sunday On the last week-end in August.

Folk art

The repetition of old patterns' shapes and the use of raw materials from the island itself characterises the handicrafts of São Miguel. Mats made from leaves of maize and flag, colourful dolls of maize husks representing picturesque figures in their regional costumes, artificial flowers made from fish scales, paper, cloth and feathers and wickerwork are examples of the works of art that come from practised and skilful hands. To which must be added the linen embroideries, the hand woven counterpanes with squares, lozenges and colourful fluting and the woollen caps worn by the shepherds.
The pottery tradition. The first inhabitants brought with them the art of clay modelling. Pottery making already has a centuries-old tradition at Vila Franca do Campo, which once had dozens of potteries in operation, using clay brought by sailing boats from the island of Santa Maria. Today only a few potters reproduce on its wheels the traditional shapes of bowes, trays, pots, pitchers, fanciful and elegant jars and the excellent miniatures that attract collectors.
Lagoa, a pottery centre that was born in the middle of the l9th century, soon gained great fame beyond the horizons of the Azores for the decoration shapes and glazing of its pieces, The skill and art of its potters goes far beyond the utilitarian and includes statuettes and figurines, decorative vases and glazed tiles.

Music and dancing

The nostalgia produced by the sea and isolation seems to exert a soothing influence on the tunes of the Azores. The dances take the form of bodies whirling about in time and beautiful gestures marked by the weight of tradition, with the colorful clothes of the women contrasting with the sober colours of the men.
To listen to and watch the Azoreans dance the sapateia, manjerico, pezinho, pezinho-da-vila, balho furado and cana-verde are to lift the veil a little on the soul of the islanders, marked for centuries by their isolation in the middle of the Atlantic. About thirty bands, spread all over the island, demonstrate the love the inhabitants of São Miguel have for music. They are always present at all the festivals and processions, and they usually perform from the graceful bandstands that exist in the gardens and public squares.

Traditional food specialities

The traditional old recipes remain alive in succulent dishes such as caldo azedo (a kind of soup), couves solteiras (prepared with cabbages). fervedouros, polvo guisado em vinho de cheiro (octopus stewed in local wine), torresmos em molho de figado (rashers of bacon with liver sauce), caldeiradas de peixe (fish stews), arroz de lapas (limpets with rice), ensopado de trutas (trout stew) and lapas de molho Afonso (limpets with a tasty sauce). To these must be added the curious cozido prepared at Furnas, where the pot containing meat and vegetables is buried in the soil wrapped in a cloth bag so that the volcanic heat can do its work... and several hours later it is ready to delight the palate with its flavour.
Lobster, cavaco, crabs and the strange goose barnacles, hidden in the holes they carve in the rocks, satisfy the needs of shellfish lovers. As regards cheese, São Miguel can offer a smooth white fresh variety made from goat's milk and the famous queijo da ilha, made from cow's milk and with a piquant flavour when dry. The old conventual recipes for desserts are the delight of people with a sweet-tooth. Examples are the queijadas (cheese-cakes) of Vila Franca do Campo, the concertos of Ribeira Grande, the bolo levedo of Furnas as well as the barriga-de-freira, massa sovada, bichos de amendoa and compota de capucho (a jam made from the small fruit of a herbaceous plant). The Caloura region produces a wine called vinho de cheiro or morangueiro, which is light and has a characteristic flavour. The liqueurs made from passion-fruit and pineapples are agreeable ways of concluding a meal.
Pineapples, tea... and tobacco. One of the curious things about São Miguel is the hot-houses for pineapples, which produce flavoursome, sweet fruits all year round for markets in many European countries. The main concentrations of hot-houses are situated in the areas of Faja de Cima, Lagoa and Vila Franca do Campo. Tea, that delicious beverage brought from China, is also produced on plantations that attract attention because of the unusual and charming sight of the green tea bushes covering hills and dales, divided into fields by hedges of araucarias and Japanese cedars.
Tea growing got under way in the late l9th century and in 1878 two Chinese came to São Miguel to teach the islanders the complex tasks involved in its preparation. The main plantations are located at Gorreana, next to the old Chapel of Senhora do Resgate. Another plant that finds optimum conditions for its development in the sub-tropical climate of the Azores is tobacco, which is grown almost everywhere in the land and is manufactured locally.

Sporting holidays

A golf course on the gentle hills of Furnas, bordered by hydrangeas. Tennis courts. The practice of sailing, rowing and windsurfing in the Ponta Delgada area, off the beaches and also on the lakes. Climbing steep slopes. Activities that Sao Miguel affords to those who want sporting holidays. Complemented by the opportunity to take reinvigorating walks in verdant and flower-covered areas, breathing pure air, discovering the many hues of blue of the sea and sky and the green of a landscape that is always attractive, charming and refreshing.
Discovering Nature. The thrill of discovering new horizons and panoramas. The pleasure of having direct contact with Nature, breathing bracing air filled with the scent of flowers. We suggest for walks that will enable you to discover the most intimate charms of São Miguel.
Lakes and streams, trout and carp. Streams that flow between densely forested ravines. Lakes with transparent water that reflects the verdant banks. The chance to catch combative trout and carp, red gurnards and achigãs. Tempting invitations that São Miguel extends to sports fishermen. Offering them at the same time healthy contact with an exuberant and flowery nature, and hours of quiet and thrills. The streams of Praia, Alegria, Bispos, Faial da Terra, Guilherme, Machado, Caideirões, Coelhas, Salga, Carneiros, Limos and Grande offer trout that challenge the skill of any fisherman. The lake called Lagoa das Sate Cidades is rich in perch, carp and pike. In Lagoa do Fogo, trout and carp abound, while Lagoa Rasa and São Bras have achigã. In Lagoa das Furnas it is possible to catch trout, perch, carp, red gurnards and sandre.
Underwater life. Warm, transparent water. Spectacular cliffs, valleys and craters. The twisted shapes and colour of volcanic rocks. The iridescent grottoes. A rich and varied flora and fauna, in which the dusky perch swims past the dolphin and the tortoise past the ray, while unending shoals of fish pass by. Attractions for those who are keen on diving and underwater observation. Who will find thousands of tiny paradises along the coast where they can appreciate all the charms of the sea, by day or by night.
Privileged areas for underwater observation are Ponta da Galera, the coast in the Feteiras area and the islets of Vile Franca and Mosteiros. A ship called the Dori is sunk next to the port of Ponta Delgada at a depth that allows it to be visited.
The sea and fishing. The indented coast of the island and the wealth and variety of fish make São Miguel a paradise for those who are keen on rock fishing.
The main species caught are barracuda, red bream, bluefish bream, conger eel, garfish, trigger fish, jack grevalle, mackeral, moray eel and common sea bream. Many fishing grounds are famous, the most interesting being those located at Ponta Deigada, Ponta das Freiras, Ferraria, Mosteiros, Ponta da Bretanha, Porto das Capelas, Poços de São Vicente, Rabo de Peixe, Ponta and Porto da Ribeira do Nordeste, Agua Retorta and Faial da Terra.
The existence of depths of 300 to 800 meters a short distance off the roast (2 to 3 km) makes it possible, with the use of a boat, to fish for barracuda, oceanic bonito, bluefish bream, dolphin, amberjack and several species of tuna.
Of course it is the large and combative sword fish, oceanic bream, pecos, several kinds of tuna and shark, etc. that supply opportunity for thrilling struggles to keen sports fishermen Several record catches have already been made. Ponta Delgada has specially equipped boats for this purpose and they cruise as far as the Formigas islets.

Santa Maria

The green plaid of the fields. Ripe, yellow crops. The dots of white-washed houses with lace-like chimneys. The black of the artistically chiselled basalt in the facades of churches. The rainbow colour of the flowers. The dark ochre of the fertile earth. The gold of the sandy beaches. The palette of hues like a living water-colour that is Santa Maria. The joy of folk festivities. The delicacies of a traditional cuisine.

Terceira Island

Introduction

The network of streets of a town that is a monument in itself. Angra do Heroísmo was entitled as world-wide patrimony city. The colourful "impérios" or chapels that bear witness to popular devotion. The walls of a castle that was a royal prison. The constant presence of history. The gentle ondulation of a green countryside. The white triangle of the typical chimneys. Sides of the attractive and colourful prism that is Terceira.

Geography

With an elliptical shape, Terceira has an area of 381.96 km2. Its length is 29 km and its maximum width 17.5 km. A plateau, cut by the gentle slopes of the Cume hills, dominates the western end. The central area is marked by the large, deep crater called Caldejra de Guilherme Moniz and by many craters with small lakes, while to the east there rises a volcanic cone with a broad crater, the Serra de Santa Bárbara, which has the highest altitude in the island, 1,023 metres. Terceira is situated at 27º 10' West longitude and 38º 40' North latitude.

History

Called the island of Jesus Cristo in the period when it was being reconnoitred by the Portuguese navigators, its settlement was started in about 1450 when its captaincy was granted to a Flaming, Jácome de Bruges, by Prince Henry the Navigator. The first settlements were situated in the areas of Porto Judeu and Praia da Vitória, and soon spread all over the island. With an economy initially centred on agriculture, mainly the production of grains, and the export of woad (a dye-yielding plant), Terceira began to play an important part in navigation in the 15th and 16th centuries, as a port of call for the galleons bringing the wealth of the Americas and the ships engaged in the India trade.
In that period Terceira was an emporium for the gold, silver, diamonds and spices brought from other continents, which attracted the covetousness of French, English and Flemish corsairs who constantly attacked its coast for several centuries. When Philip II of Spain took the Portuguese throne in 1580, Terceira supported the claims of the pretender, Dom Ant6nio, Prior do Crato, who even came to reside on the island and to coin money there, which led to Spanish attempts to conquer it. The first landing by Spanish troops, in 1581, was completely defeated in the famous battle of Salga, in which the writers Cervantes and Lopo de Vega took part. In 1583 much larger Spanish forces, commanded by Don Alvaro de Bazan, the victor of the battle of Lepanto, managed to dominate the island after violent fighting.
Until 1640 Terceira was a port of call for the Spanish galleons filled with the fabulous wealth of Peru and Mexico. With the Restoration of Portugal's independence, line Spaniards were expelled and life returned to normal. The island kept its position as the economic, administrative and religious centre of the Azores until the early 19th century. The struggles that accompanied the introduction of liberalism led Terceira to play an important role in the history of Portugal once again. The island supported the liberal cause as from 1820. After various vicissitudes, there was a turn about in 1828 and the absolutists were dominated on Terceira which became the main base of the liberals. An absolutist attempt to land at Vila da Praia was defeated in 1829, and this was followed by the establishment of a liberal regency on Terceira and the later conquest of the other islands of the archipelago by the constitutional forces. And in 1832 it was from Terceira that the liberal expedition left for the landing at Mindelo in northern Portugal and the subsequent proclamation of the Constitutional Charter.
The end of the l9th and the beginning of the 20th century were marked by a progressive reduction of Terceira's role in the life of the Azores. The construction of a port at Praia da Vitória, the existence of an important air base and a commercial airport have opened up new development perspectives for the island.