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109-513: Mostardas was colonized by Azorean immigrants. In 1738 there was already a military outpost called Guarda das Mustardas (Mostardas Lookout). The name remained until the beginning of the 20th century, when it became known as Mostardas. On the 18th of January 1773, Mostardas Parish is created. Later it became the district of São José do Norte . On the 26th of December 1963, the district emancipates itself. On 11 April 1964, Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary branches were established. Regarding

218-457: A broad gauge railway was used several times to build and enlarge the harbor. The track used a seven-foot gauge, but it is unclear if this was Isambard Kingdom Brunel 's 7 ft ( 2,134 mm ) Brunel gauge. Three bus routes operate in the city on weekdays from 07:00 to 19:00. Line A runs in the western part of town, line B in the central/north, and line C in the east. There are bus services between Ponta Delgada and most other towns on

327-515: A humid subtropical climate ( Csa / Cfa ) bordering on an oceanic climate ( Csb / Cfb ). It has warm dry summers, with moderate precipitation, and mild, wet winters. Much like the rest of the Azores , the city is shaped by the Gulf Stream , and consequently has a narrow temperature variation. Mean temperatures vary between 14.5 °C (58.1 °F) in the winter to around 22 °C (72 °F) in

436-540: A Scandinavian rather than Portuguese origin of the local mouse population. A 2021 paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , using data from lake sediment core sampling , suggests brush-clearing was undertaken and animal husbandry introduced between 700 and 850 A.D. These findings suggest a brief period of Norse settlement, and the 2021 paper further cites climate simulations that suggest

545-748: A broad course calendar of courses in teaching, business and agricultural sciences). Ponta Delgada is the traditional centre of the annual religious celebrations associated with the Feasts of the Lord Holy Christ of the Miracles ( Portuguese : Festas do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres ), from the Saint Francis Square ( Portuguese : Campo de São Francisco ), located opposite the Fort of São Brás. This venerable feast day and week-long celebrations primarily focus on

654-509: A linear line from the Azores to the Azores–Gibraltar transform fault . The islands' volcanism is associated with the rifting along the Azores triple junction ; the spread of the crust along the existing faults and fractures has produced many of the active volcanic and seismic events, while supported by buoyant upwelling in the deeper mantle, some associate with an Azores hotspot . Most of

763-438: A long time. It has one of the biggest religious festivals of the city during the summer. This geographical article relating to Rio Grande do Sul is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Azores The Azores ( / ə ˈ z ɔːr z / ə- ZORZ , US also / ˈ eɪ z ɔːr z / , AY -zorz ; Portuguese : Açores , Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐˈsoɾɯ̞ʃ] ), officially

872-422: A major service activity in the region. In the 20th century and to some extent into the 21st, they have served as a waypoint for refueling aircraft flying between Europe and North America. The government of the Azores employs a large percentage of the population directly or indirectly in the service and tertiary sectors. The largest city of the Azores is Ponta Delgada . The culture, dialect, cuisine, and traditions of

981-455: A northwest–southeast direction. All of the islands have volcanic origins , although some, such as Santa Maria, have had no recorded activity in the time since the islands were settled several centuries ago. Mount Pico , on the island of Pico, is the highest point in Portugal, at 2,351 m (7,713 ft). If measured from their base at the bottom of the ocean to their peaks, the Azores are among

1090-707: A result of emigration. Consequently, some invasive plants have filled these deserted and disturbed lands. Hydrangeas are another potential pest, but their threat is less serious. Notwithstanding the fact that hydrangeas were introduced from America or Asia, some locals consider them a symbol of the archipelago and propagate them along roadsides. Cryptomeria , the Japanese cedar, is a conifer extensively grown for its timber. The two most common of these alien species are Pittosporum undulatum and Hedychium gardnerianum . Reforestation efforts with native laurissilva vegetation have been accomplished successfully in many parts of

1199-616: A small commercial terminal handling scheduled and chartered passenger flights from the other islands in the Azores, Europe, Africa, and North America. Following the Carnation Revolution of 1974, which deposed the Estado Novo dictatorship in Lisbon, Portugal and its territories across the world entered into a period of great political uncertainty. The Azorean Liberation Front attempted to take advantage of this instability immediately after

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1308-514: A summit there days before the commencement of the Iraq War . The archipelago of the Azores is located in the middle of the northern hemisphere of the Atlantic Ocean and extends along a west-northwest to east-southeast orientation (between 36.5°–40° North latitudes and 24.5°–31.5° West longitudes ) in an area approximately 600 km (373 mi) wide. The islands of the Azores emerged from what

1417-486: Is twinned with: With a strong concentration of service activities, the municipality is an important industrial and agricultural centre. The Arrifes-Covoada basin is the main bread-basket on the island of São Miguel, in addition to all the parishes located around the rim of the Sete Cidades Massif . In 1999, 1039 companies had their operational seats within the borders of Ponta Delgada, roughly equal to 45.4% of

1526-463: Is a popular event, attracting both religious (to the procession, sanctuary and open-air mass) and secular participants (to view and see the procession, imagery and taste traditional foods from the barracas located along the main avenue). Following Pentecosts, many of the parishes within the municipality participate in feasts dedicated to the Holy Spirit. A tradition across the islands of the Azores ,

1635-676: Is a system of fractures that extends from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to the Glória Fault that represents the main frontier between the Eurasian and African plates. It is defined by a line of submarine volcanoes and island mounts that extend northwest to southeast for about 550 km (342 mi), from the area west of Graciosa until the islets of the Formigas, that includes the islands of Graciosa, Terceira and São Miguel. Its northwest limit connects to

1744-465: Is also an important feature in this area, representing collapse of lands on the northwestern flank of the caldera. Although there are no active aerial volcanic characteristics (like the fumaroles of Furnas), submarine vents around the region of Ponta da Ferraria and the beach at Mosteiros have been identified. According to the Köppen climate classification , Ponta Delgada has a mediterranean climate and

1853-486: Is called the Azores Plateau , a 5.8 million km region that is morphologically accented by a depth of 2,000 m (6,600 ft). The nine islands that compose the archipelago occupy a surface area of 2,346 km (906 sq mi), that includes both the main islands and many islets located in their vicinities. They range in surface area from the largest, São Miguel, at 759 km (293 sq mi) to

1962-537: Is commonly said that the archipelago received its name from açor (Portuguese for goshawk , a common bird at the time of discovery) it is unlikely that the bird ever nested or hunted on the islands. There were no large animals on Santa Maria; after its discovery and before settlement began, sheep were let loose on the island to supply future settlers with food. The archipelago was largely settled from mainland Portugal, but settlement did not take place right away. Gonçalo Velho Cabral gathered resources and settlers for

2071-534: Is named for its situation located along volcanic lands, thin and not too considerable like on other islands, that lead to the sea, and where later, was constructed the chapel of Santa Clara ( Saint Clare of Assisi ), which was named the Santa Clara point … In around 1450, Pêro de Teive established a small fishing village that eventually grew into the urban agglomeration in Santa Clara . Populated since 1444, São Miguel

2180-582: Is one of the limits for pressure measurement to verify the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). "Moyennes 1991/2020 Portugal" . Baseline climate means (1991–2020) from stations all over the world . Météo Climat . Retrieved 7 May 2022 . A 2019 paper published in PLOS One estimated that under Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 , a "moderate" scenario of climate change where global warming reaches ~2.5–3 °C (4.5–5.4 °F) by 2100,

2289-459: Is part of the south shore of the state of Rio Grande do Sul , on an isthmus formed by Laguna dos Patos and Atlantic Ocean . Its population, as estimated by the Census of IBGE of 2020 is 12,847 inhabitants. The climate is humid subtropical . It has an area of 1.982,992 km. It has four beaches. Solitude Beach (northernmost and fartherst one) receives more tourists from other cities, such as

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2398-448: Is the representative council, while dispersed parish councils (and elected presidents) govern the localities that circle the western edge of São Miguel. The urban core includes the baixa or lower town , referring to the historic centre of buildings, shops and landmarks that gathered over the centuries around the square of São Sebastião and Praça Gonçalo Velho (dedicated to the island's discoverer). Immediately around this urban core are

2507-741: The Autonomous Region of the Azores ( Região Autónoma dos Açores ), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira ). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atlantic Ocean, about 1,400 km (870 mi) west of Lisbon , about 1,500 km (930 mi) northwest of Morocco , and about 1,930 km (1,200 mi) southeast of Newfoundland , Canada . Its main industries are agriculture , dairy farming , livestock , fishing , and tourism , which has become

2616-602: The Battle of Salga ). In 1583, Philip II of Spain , as King of Portugal , sent his fleet to clear the Azores of a combined multinational force of adventurers, mercenaries, volunteers, and soldiers who were attempting to establish the Azores as a staging post for a rival pretender to the Portuguese throne. Following the success of his fleet at the Battle of Ponta Delgada , captured enemies were hanged from yardarms, as they were considered pirates by Philip II. Opponents receiving

2725-518: The Cult of the Holy Spirit dates to medieval traditions, involving "promises" made to God ( Portuguese : promessas ), the processions of faith to and from the Church and feasts of meat-broth soup and bread donated to the poor. In comparison to other islands/parishes of the Azores, most neighbourhoods of São Miguel allow the free participation of visitors, seen as fulfilling the tenets of the tradition, rather than

2834-613: The Dollabarat on the fringe of the Formigas), banks (specifically the Princess Alice Bank and D. João de Castro Bank ), as well as many hydrothermal vents and sea-mounts are monitored by the regional authorities, owing to the complex geotectonic and socioeconomic significance within the economic exclusion zone of the archipelago. From a geostructural perspective, the Azores are located above an active triple junction between three of

2943-580: The Palearctic realm and has a unique biotic community that includes the Macaronesian subtropical laurissilva , with many endemic species of plants and animals. There are at least 6,112 terrestrial species, of which about 411 are endemic . The majority (75%) of these endemics are animals, mostly arthropods and mollusks . New species are found regularly in the Azores (e.g., 30 different new species of land snails were discovered circa 2013 ). Even though

3052-521: The Portuguese mainland . The division was arbitrary and did not follow the natural island groups, rather reflecting the location of each district capital on the three main cities (none of which were on the western group). In 1931, the Azores (together with Madeira and Portuguese Guinea ) revolted against the Ditadura Nacional and were held briefly by rebel military. In 1943, during World War II ,

3161-519: The São Miguel scops owl , has recently been described, which probably became extinct after human settlement because of habitat destruction and the introduction of alien species. Five species of flightless rail ( Rallus spp.) once existed on the islands, as did a flightless quail ( Coturnix sp.) and another species of bullfinch, the greater Azores bullfinch , but these also went extinct after human colonization. Eleven subspecies of bird are endemic to

3270-624: The University of the Azores , a multi-disciplinary institution that ranges from courses in tourism, computer engineering, social sciences and business management. From its principal campus in São Pedro , the rectorate manages three poles spread throughout the Azores, including Horta (with courses in Marine Biology, affiliated with the Department of Oceangraphy and Fishing ) and Angra do Heroísmo (with

3379-560: The municipal hall , the gates to the city ( Portuguese : Portas da Cidade ) and old customhouse buildings in front of the main roadway that follows the coast (itself passing the Fort of São Brás and Campo do São Francisco in the west). Other important landmarks include the Portas do Mar ( Gates of the Sea ), main tower of the SolMar Avenida Center mall and Theatre Micalense. Ponta Delgada

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3488-469: The Água de Pau Massif (known locally for the lake that rests within its volcanic crater: Lagoa do Fogo ) until the area around the Sete Cidades caldera. It is a volcanic axial zone oriented generally in a northwest–southeast direction, essentially defined by several spatter cones and lava flows and predominantly covered by dense vegetation and pasture lands. Its relief is relatively planar, especially along

3597-523: The "Summer Nights" run until late September (four months), and is sponsored/supported by the municipal government and local/regional businesses. In addition to several parks providing green-spaces for multiple recreational activities, the city of Ponta Delgada is home to sporting associations and sites for racket sports, organized team and open-air activities. In addition to multiple water sports, such as swimming, surfing, and canoeing/kayaking, there are cycling routes and spaces for running/walking. Visitors to

3706-662: The American and Portuguese Armed Forces . During the Cold War , U.S. Navy P-3 Orion anti-submarine warfare squadrons patrolled the North Atlantic Ocean for Soviet Navy submarines and surface warships. Since its opening, Lajes Field has been used for refuelling American cargo planes bound for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The U.S. Navy keeps a small squadron of its ships at the harbor of Praia da Vitória , three km (1.9 mi) southeast of Lajes Field. The airfield also has

3815-468: The Autonomous Region of the Azores in Portugal. It is located on São Miguel Island , the largest and most populous in the archipelago. As of 2021, it has 67,287 inhabitants, in an area of 232.99 square kilometres (89.96 square miles). There are 17,629 residents in the three central civil parishes that comprise the historical city: São Pedro , São Sebastião , and São José . Ponta Delgada became

3924-536: The Azorean Marine Park (which covers around 900,000 km (350,000 sq mi)). On São Miguel there are notable micro-habitats formed by hot springs that host extremophile microorganisms. Ponta Delgada Ponta Delgada ( European Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpõtɐ ðɛlˈɣaðɐ] ; lit.   ' Thin Cape ' ) is the largest municipality ( concelho ) and executive capital of

4033-558: The Azorean islands vary considerably, because these remote islands were settled sporadically over a span of two centuries. There are nine major Azorean islands and an islet cluster, in three main groups. These are Flores and Corvo , to the west; Graciosa , Terceira , São Jorge , Pico , and Faial in the centre; and São Miguel , Santa Maria , and the Formigas islets to the east. They extend for more than 600 km (370 mi) and lie in

4142-528: The Azores in their ‘must-visit’ lists for sustainable and adventure travel. The Azores and Ponta Delgada were one of the poorest areas in Europe, until they saw potential in the tourism industry. Now, flights have increased over 200% from North America, with the Ponta Delgada airport being the main hub for the islands. Also, a study in 2014 found that Ponta Delgada accounted for 41.5% of the accommodation capacity of

4251-599: The Azores look very green and sometimes wild, the vegetation has been extremely altered. A great part of it has been wiped out in the past 600 years for its valuable wood (for tools, buildings, boats, fire wood, and so on) and to clear land for agriculture. As a result, it is estimated that more than half of insects on the Graciosa island have disappeared or will become extinct. Many cultivated places (which are traditionally dedicated to pasture or to growing taro , potatoes, maize and other crops) have now been abandoned, especially as

4360-535: The Azores to store grain and the suggestion by Ribeiro that they might be burial sites is unconfirmed. Detailed examination and dating to authenticate the validity of these speculations is lacking; thus it is unclear whether these structures are natural or human-made and whether they predate the 15th century Portuguese colonization of the Azores. According to a 2015 paper published in Journal of Evolutionary Biology , research based on mouse mitochondrial DNA points to

4469-467: The Azores, and the overnight stays in hotel establishments represented 55.5% of the Azores. In addition, Ponta Delgada is the centre of administrative services in the region, with many of the governmental secretariats located in this municipal seat (including the Regional Presidency and several directorates). Several newspapers are published in Ponta Delgada, including Açoriano Oriental (one of

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4578-599: The Azores, with an established port of call at Sao Miguel. In 1904, the service was taken over by the White Star Line, future owners of the ill-fated Titanic . Four ships formerly owned by Dominion were renamed and put into service under White Star, named Canopic , Romanic , Cretic and Republic , the last of which is best known for its 1909 sinking off the New England coast. Canopic and Romanic provided regular services to Boston, while Cretic and Republic operated on

4687-443: The Azores. The Azores has at least two endemic living bird species. The Azores bullfinch , or Priolo , is restricted to remnant laurisilva forest in the mountains at the eastern end of São Miguel and is classified by BirdLife International as endangered . Monteiro's storm petrel , described to science as recently as 2008, is known to breed in just two locations in the islands but may occur more widely. An extinct species of owl,

4796-658: The Civil Governor António Borges Coutinho , who was responsible, under the direction of the MFA government, to implement land reforms. The Micalense Farmers' Protest , forced his resignation, and inspired a series of terrorist acts that plunged the Azores into political turmoil. After a clandestine round-up of arrests and detentions by the Military Governor, the Autonomous District of Ponta Delgada

4905-712: The Eurasian and African plates. The principal tectonic structures that exist in the region of the Azores are the Mid-Atlantic Ridge , the Terceira Rift , the Azores Fracture Zone and the Glória Fault. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the main frontier between the North American plate and the African-Eurasian plates that crosses the Azores Plateau between the islands of Flores and Faial from north to south then to

5014-561: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge, while the southeast section intersects the Gloria Fault southeast of the island of Santa Maria. The Azores Fracture Zone extends from the Glória Fault and encompasses a relatively inactive area to the south of the islands of the Central and Eastern groups north to the Terceira Rift, along a 45° angle. The Glória Fault, for its part, extends 800 km (497 mi) along

5123-554: The Portuguese mainland, but by local people attacking a fortified Castilian garrison. In the late 16th century, the Azores and Madeira began to face problems of overpopulation. Responding to the consequent economic problems, some people of the Azores began to emigrate to the United States, Canada and Brazil. In 1902, the Dominion Line began operating a Mediterranean passenger service between Boston and Italy via Gibraltar and

5232-760: The Portuguese ruler António de Oliveira Salazar leased air and naval bases in the Azores to Great Britain. The occupation of these facilities in October 1943 was codenamed Operation Alacrity by the British. This was a key turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic , enabling the Royal Air Force , the U.S. Army Air Forces , and the U.S. Navy to provide aerial coverage in the Mid-Atlantic gap . This helped them to protect convoys and to hunt hostile German U-boats . In 1944,

5341-440: The U.S. constructed a small and short-lived air base on the island of Santa Maria. In 1945, a new base was constructed on the island of Terceira, named Lajes Field . This air base is in an area called Lajes, a broad, flat sea terrace that had been a large farm. Lajes Field is a plateau rising out of the sea on the northeast corner of the island. This air base is a joint American and Portuguese venture. Lajes Field continues to support

5450-452: The Viscount of Porto Formoso, which would become part of the University of the Azores ), the construction of many of the ornate homes/estates, the clearing of animals from urban spaces, the opening of newer, larger roadways, the moving of cemeteries to the periphery, and relocation of markets for fish, meat and fruits. Due to these changes, and growth of the mercantile class, Ponta Delgada became

5559-457: The archipelago of the Azores, the municipality is shaped by its geography; most homes are clustered along the regional road network that circles the island, with many ancillary or agricultural access roads bisecting the central portion of the island (primarily in the Picos Region ) along a north–south axis. Administratively, the municipality is composed of 24 parishes, that handle development, in

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5668-419: The archipelago, extending from the center of the island to the western coast. Ponta Delgada is bordered on the northeast by the municipality of Ribeira Grande , and southeast by relatively new municipality of Lagoa . Geomorphologically, Ponta Delgada covers a volcanic area composed of two structures: the Picos Region and Sete Cidades Massif. The Picos Region extends from the shadow of the ancient volcano of

5777-490: The author identified a Fleming , Joshua Vander Berg of Bruges , who made landfall in the archipelago during a storm on his way to Lisbon. According to Ashe, the Portuguese explored the area and claimed it for Portugal. Other writers note the discovery of the first islands (São Miguel, Santa Maria and Terceira) by sailors in the service of Henry the Navigator, although there are few documents to support such claims. Although it

5886-447: The beginning of the 20th century, Ponta Delgada's position was relatively high (eighth largest), although the changing importance of rural economies steadily chipped away at its growth. But it remained the central place in the economy and hierarchy of the Azorean archipelago. Consequently, it was at the forefront of political change following the Carnation Revolution . In one such event, property owners and right-leaning farmers challenged

5995-444: The buildings and killing several people. Ponta Delgada became the only centre with an infrastructure to support the Azorean bureaucracy and supplant its important economic links. Quickly, its role changed, and eventually it was elevated to the status of city during the reign of King D. João III by decree, dated 2 April 1546. The naval Battle of Ponta Delgada (also known as the Battle of São Miguel ) took place on 26 July 1582, off

6104-417: The capital was moved to Ponta Delgada . The town of Vila Franca do Campo was rebuilt on the original site, and today is a thriving fishing and yachting port. Ponta Delgada received its city status in 1546. From the first settlement, the pioneers applied themselves to agriculture, and by the 15th century Graciosa was exporting wheat, barley, wine and brandy. The goods were sent to Terceira largely because of

6213-623: The center of the Massif consists of a caldera and a polygenetic volcanic field within it, that includes four lakes (two of which Lagoa Azul, the Blue Lake, and Lagoa Verde , the Green Lake, are linked). The caldera is almost circular and has evolved over the course of three phases. The first occurred 36,000 years ago forming the collapsed principal structure. The second phase conforms to a period approximately 29,000 years ago, when volcanic eruptions collapsed

6322-493: The civil parishes of Santa Clara , São José , São Sebastião and São Pedro , which is divided by the motorways with the urbanized contour of Fajã de Cima and Fajã de Baixo . Not to be confused with a traditional city, the city of Ponta Delgada has no legal jurisdiction or mayor, but the municipality of Ponta Delgada has an elected official, the Presidente da Câmara Municipal who administers and Assembleia Municipal , which

6431-525: The climate of Ponta Delgada in the year 2050 would most closely resemble the current climate of Porto . The annual temperature would increase by 1.3 °C (2.3 °F), and the temperature of the warmest month by 2.2 °C (4.0 °F), while the temperature of the coldest month would increase by 1.1 °C (2.0 °F). According to Climate Action Tracker , the current warming trajectory appears consistent with 2.7 °C (4.9 °F), which closely matches RCP 4.5. Much like other communities in

6540-451: The coast, as part of the 1580 Portuguese succession crisis . An Anglo-French corsair expedition sailed against Spain to preserve Portuguese control of the Azores, which had aligned itself with the pretender António, Prior of Crato , thereby preventing Spanish control (it was the largest French force sent overseas before the age of Louis XIV). During the 19th century the municipality experienced its greatest boost of economic activity, with

6649-434: The companies of the Azores. Of these companies, 4.4% were in the primary sector, 13.7% in secondary industries and 81.9% in the tertiary service sector. The volume of sales (in 2000) was equivalent to 1,458 million Euros, associated with the service industry, of which banking, computer programming/services, corporate and commercial services, as well as tourism, dominate. Tourist activity in Ponta Delgada accounted for 34% of

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6758-477: The coolest month is February, while the warmest month is August, as well as September, October, November and December each having warmer weather compared to July, June, May and April respectively. The Gulf Stream also contributes to unstable weather that varies greatly during autumn and spring, making weather forecasting on a daily basis difficult. Winters are generally milder and summers are generally humid when compared to those of continental Portugal . Its location

6867-418: The defense of local social, cultural, recreation and environmental concerns: Along the southern coast is the urbanized core of the historic village/town of Ponta Delgada, which includes the principal civic infrastructures, high-capacity motorways ( Portuguese : Vias-rápidas ), tourist and culture attractions, as well as the businesses and government services. This city of Ponta Delgada includes specifically

6976-399: The dominant winds in the North Atlantic Ocean in that period blew from the northeast, which would have taken Viking ships heading southwest from Scandinavia more or less directly to the Azores. In 1427, a captain sailing for Prince Henry the Navigator , possibly Gonçalo Velho , may have discovered the Azores, but this is not certain. In Thomas Ashe 's 1813 work A History of the Azores ,

7085-571: The end of the 15th century. By 1490, there were 2,000 Flemings living on the islands of Terceira, Pico, Faial, São Jorge and Flores. Because there was such a large Flemish settlement, the Azores became known as the Flemish Islands or the Isles of Flanders. Prince Henry the Navigator was responsible for this Flemish settlement. His sister, Isabel , was married to Philip the Good , Duke of Burgundy, Flanders, at

7194-573: The event paralyzes the streets of the city for a day. Following the images' move to the Convent of Our Lady of Hope ( Portuguese : Convento de Nossa Senhora da Esperança ), under the inspiration of the Venerable Mother Teresa da Anunciada, the figure was used in religious processions that snaked through the streets of the city, stopping at each convent (and former-convent) in the city. The cortege, which includes clergy, politicians, and lay folk,

7303-419: The fifth Sunday of Easter, attracting locals and Micaelense, in addition to peoples from neighbouring islands in the archipelago, the Portuguese diaspora, and tourists on vacation. Associated with the Roman Catholic veneration of an Ecce Homo representing Jesus Christ following the Passion (retold in Luke 23:1–25 in the New Testament), a gift to the sisters of the Convent of Caloura in the mid-16th century,

7412-420: The funneling of citrus exports to United Kingdom and the growth of foreign-owned businesses in the historic center, many of them Jewish merchants after 1818. As with other centres across the archipelago, the town of Ponta Delgada experienced many of the trends common for the period, including the "greening" of the communities (with the construction of the gardens of António Borges, José do Canto, Jácome Correia and

7521-453: The hotel occupancy in the region, of which 46% were overnight trips (1997). Ponta Delgada has seen an increase in tourism since the Azores gained attention through many different travel media mediums, such as the World Travel Market London’s annual survey recognized the Azores as the world’s most underrated destination. Also, in recent years, Forbes, Bloomberg, BBC, Lonely Planet, Travel + Leisure, and other major global publications mentioned

7630-432: The inactive cones in central São Miguel Island, the aforementioned Capelinhos on Faial, the volcanic complexes of Terceira or Plinian caldeira of Corvo Island. The islands of the archipelago were formed through volcanic and seismic activity during the Neogene Period; the first embryonic surfaces started to appear in the waters of Santa Maria during the Miocene epoch (from circa 8 million years ago). The sequence of

7739-429: The island formation has been generally characterized as: Santa Maria (8.12 Ma), São Miguel (4.1 Ma), Terceira (3.52 Ma), Graciosa (2.5 Ma), Flores (2.16 Ma), Faial (0.7 Ma), São Jorge (0.55 Ma), Corvo (0.7 Ma) and the youngest, Pico (0.27 Ma). All islands have experienced volcanism during their geological history, with Late Holocene volcanism being recorded from Flores and Faial. Within recorded "human settlement" history

7848-522: The island of São Jorge, which exceeded 7 on the Richter magnitude scale. In comparison, the 1522 earthquake that was mentioned by historian Gaspar Frutuoso measured 6.8, but its effects were judged to be X ( Extreme ) on the Mercalli intensity scale , and was responsible for the destruction of Vila Franca do Campo and landslides that may have killed more than 5,000 of the inhabitants. The archipelago lies in

7957-408: The island, but usually only a few times a day. City services and island-wide services are both accessible along "Avenida D. Infante Henriques" and conveniently accessible from major sites in Ponta Delgada. Up to date schedules are available at bus stops and the tourist office. Distances on the island are short with journeys rarely longer than 90 minutes. Ponta Delgada is home to the central nucleus of

8066-499: The islands of Santa Maria, Graciosa, Flores, and Corvo have not experienced any volcanic eruptions; in addition to active fumaroles and hot-springs, the remaining islands have had sporadic eruptions since the 14th century. Apart from the Capelinhos volcano in 1957–1958, the last recorded instance of "island formation" occurred off the coast of São Miguel, when the island of Sabrina was briefly formed. Owing to its geodynamic environment,

8175-512: The islands. The Azores has an endemic bat, the Azores noctule , which has an unusually high frequency of diurnal flight. The islets of the Formigas (the Portuguese word for "ants"), including the area known as the Dollabarat Reef, have a rich environment of maritime species, such as black coral and manta rays , different species of sharks, whales, and sea turtles. Seventeen new marine reserves (with special conservation status) were added to

8284-697: The last part of the Portuguese Empire to resist Philip's reign over Portugal ( Macau resisted any official recognition), until the defeat of forces loyal to the Prior of Crato with the Conquest of the Azores in 1583. Portuguese control resumed with the end of the Iberian Union in 1640 and the beginning of the Portuguese Restoration War , not by the professional military, who were occupied with warfare on

8393-431: The major population centres. It is also generally wet and cloudy. A small number of alleged hypogea (underground structures carved into rocks) have been identified on the islands of Corvo, Santa Maria, and Terceira by Portuguese archaeologist Nuno Ribeiro, who speculated that they might date back 2,000 years, implying a human presence on the island before the Portuguese. These structures have been used by settlers in

8502-476: The metropolitan region, than Mostardas itself. Balneario Mostardense (closest to the city, only 12 km) is also known as New Beach, has a bus line to downtown. Saint Simon Beach (28 km of Mostardas) hosts one of the city's oldest societies, the Club of Saint Simon, founded in 1948. It still hosts parties, live music, and dinners. The Father John Beach (the smallest one) has inhabitants who have been living there for

8611-417: The name Mostardas, there is no documented explanation. One of the hypothesis suggest that the city received its name on account of the large amount of the edible vegetable found in the area (see mustard ). Another hypothesis listed by the historian Marisa Oliveira Guedes is that the name Mustardas was given not by the amount of the plant, which does not actually exist on the fields, but, because Mostardas were

8720-787: The name of the trenches used during the wars in Portugal, which were covered with a mat made of reed and Taquara bamboo, with camouflage made of mustard, because this plant does not wither. The book Histórias Antigas de Mostardas, by Jayme Collares Neto, has genealogical information and histories of past inhabitants. It was launched in September 2017. It is available in Mostardas (Mega Informática) and in bookstores in Porto Alegre (Érico Veríssimo, Martins Livreiro), Rio Grande e Pelotas (Vanguarda). Situated on 31º 06' 25" latitude south and 50º 55' 16" longitude west, at an altitude of 17 meters. The city

8829-712: The narrow sub-community of the Brotherhoods of the Holy Spirit. One of the more popular non-religious events is the Noites de Verão ( Nights of Summer ): a summer event, traditionally held in the square of Campo do São Francisco , but in recent years dispersed throughout the streets of the city. Attracting families, friends and tourists to the downtown, highlighted by nightly musical events, popular Azorean bands/singers, guest concert bands, folklore groups, and some international stars, in addition to vendor concessions selling food, refreshments or small goods. Starting usually in late June,

8938-502: The new Portuguese regime and also where the Council of Regency ( Conselho de Regência ) of Maria II of Portugal was established. Beginning in 1868, Portugal issued its stamps overprinted with " AÇORES " for use in the islands. Between 1892 and 1906, it also issued separate stamps for the three administrative districts of the time. From 1836 to 1976, the archipelago was divided into three districts, equivalent (except in area) to those in

9047-467: The news variously portrayed Philip II as a despot or " Black Legend ", the sort of insult widely made against contemporary monarchs engaged in aggressive empire building and the European wars of religion . Figueiredo and Violante do Canto helped organize a resistance on Terceira that influenced some of the response of the other islands, even as internal politics and support for Philip's faction increased on

9156-401: The next three years (1433–1436) and sailed to establish colonies, first on Santa Maria and then on São Miguel . Settlers built houses, established villages and cleared bush and rocks to plant crops, grain, grapevines, sugar cane and other plants suitable for local use and for export. They brought domesticated animals, such as chickens, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. The settlement of

9265-499: The northern and southern coasts, where many of the urban communities are located. The Sete Cidades Massif , the other geomorphological structure that makes up the municipality of Ponta Delgada, consists of a central volcanic caldera and lake-filled cones which surround the crater. It occupies the extreme western part of the island, oriented along a similar northwest–southwest orientation, with many regional radial fractures marked by lava domes and spatter cones. The Sete Cidades Volcano at

9374-409: The northwest part of the structure. Finally, the third phase (about 16,000 years ago) caused the collapse of the north and northeastern portions of the caldera. Geologically, within the last 5,000 years, the central cone has been active (17 eruptions) and responsible for causing most of the activity in the archipelago, during that period. These geological eruptions were essentially trachyte eruptions of

9483-472: The oldest continuing daily newspapers in the country) and the Diário dos Açores . Served by an international airport in the parish of Relva ( Ponta Delgada-João Paulo II International Airport ), the municipality is the principal port of entry for goods entering and people arriving in the Azores. SATA International and SATA Air Açores have their head offices in Ponta Delgada. Near the harbour of Ponta Delgada

9592-633: The other islands (including specifically on São Miguel, where the Gonçalvez da Câmara family supported the Spanish claimant). An English raid of the Azores in 1589 successfully plundered some islands and harbouring ships; eight years later, a second raid failed – the Islands Voyage . Spain held the Azores under the Iberian Union from 1580 to 1642 (called the "Babylonian captivity" in the Azores). The Azores were

9701-529: The proximity of that island. Portugal fell into a dynastic crisis following the death of Cardinal-King Henry of Portugal in 1580. Of the various claimants to the crown, the most powerful was king Phillip II of Spain , who justified his rights to the Portuguese throne by the fact that his mother was a Portuguese royal princess, his maternal grandfather having been King Manuel I of Portugal. Following his proclamation in Santarém, António, Prior of Crato

9810-478: The region has been a center of intense seismic activity, particularly along its tectonic boundaries on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Terceira Rift. Seismic events although frequent, are usually tectonic or vulco-tectonic in nature, but in general are of low to medium intensities, occasionally punctuated by events of level 5 or greater on the Richter scale . The most severe earthquake was registered in 1757, near Calheta on

9919-556: The region's administrative capital under the revised constitution of 1976 ; the judiciary and Catholic See remained in the historical capital of Angra do Heroísmo while the Legislative Assembly of the Azores was established in Horta . The origin of the placename Ponta Delgada (Portuguese for delicate or thin point ) was elaborated by the famous Portuguese chronicler, Father Gaspar Frutuoso , who wrote: This city of Ponta Delgada

10028-526: The revolution, hoping to establish an independent Azores, until operations ceased in 1975. In 1976, the Azores became the Autonomous Region of the Azores ( Região Autónoma dos Açores ), one of the autonomous regions of Portugal , and the subdistricts of the Azores were eliminated. In 2003, the Azores saw international attention when United States President George W. Bush , British Prime Minister Tony Blair , Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar , and Portuguese Prime Minister José Manuel Durão Barroso held

10137-586: The seamounts and submarine volcanoes off the coast of Serreta and in the Pico-São Jorge Channel. The islands have many examples of volcano-built geomorphology including caves and lava tubes (such as the Gruta das Torres , Algar do Carvão , Gruta do Natal , Gruta das Cinco Ribeiras), the coastal lava fields (like the coast of Feteiras , Faial, the Mistério of Prainha or São João on Pico Island) in addition to

10246-457: The service to both New York and Boston throughout their careers. By the time the service ended in 1921, these four ships had transported an estimated total of 58,000 Azorean Portuguese to the United States. The Portuguese Civil War (1828–1834) had strong repercussions in the Azores. In 1829, in Praia da Vitória , the liberals won over the absolutists , making Terceira Island the main headquarters of

10355-533: The smallest, Corvo, at approximately 17 km (7 sq mi). Each of the islands has its own distinct geomorphological characteristics that make them unique: These islands can be divided into three recognizable groups located on the Azores Plateau: São Jorge, Pico and Faial are also collectively called Ilhas do Triângulo ('Islands of the Triangle'). Several sub-surface reefs (particularly

10464-430: The southern coast). The nobles in Ponta Delgada sent a secret contingent, headed by Fernão Jorge Velho, to meet with King Manuel in Lisbon to petition that the community be emancipated. In Abrantes , King Manuel conferred a foral on 29 May 1507, elevating the settlement to the status of the village ( Portuguese : vila ). Then, in 1522 an earthquake and landslide devastated the provincial capital, destroying many of

10573-572: The southwest; it is an extensive form crossed by many transform faults running perpendicular to its north–south orientation, that is seismically active and susceptible to volcanism. The Azores features a series of prominent peaks, with Montanha do Pico (also known as "Mount Pico") standing as the highest at 2,351 meters on Pico Island . Other notable elevations include Pico da Vara on São Miguel Island , Pico da Esperança on São Jorge Island , Cabeço Gordo on Faial Island , and Calderia de Santa Barbara on Terceira Island . The Terceira Rift

10682-583: The sub-Plinian or Plinian type, with hydro-magmatic characteristics. The last eruption, at about 500 years ago, gave rise to the Caldeira Seca cone. Although there has been no historical activity today, its active status continues to be debated by the scientific community. Most recently, its diverse geography includes various types of basaltic volcanism, both effusive and less explosive (essentially Strombolian and Hawaiian ) along its flanks, usually conditioned by local and radial faults. The Mosteiros Graben

10791-454: The summer and daytime highs vary between 17 °C (63 °F) in the winter to 25 °C (77 °F) in the summer. The average annual relative humidity is around 80%, which may influence the perceived temperature by a few degrees in the warmer months. Temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F), or below 4 °C (39 °F) have never been registered. The strong influence of the Atlantic Ocean produces significant seasonal lag . On average,

10900-690: The tallest mountains on the planet. The Azores are located at the seismically active Azores triple junction plate boundary where the North American plate , Eurasian plate and Nubian plate meet. The climate of the Azores is very mild for such a northerly location, being influenced by its distance from the continents and by the passing Gulf Stream . Because of the marine influence, temperatures remain mild year-round. Daytime temperatures normally fluctuate between 16 and 25 °C (61 and 77 °F) depending on season. Temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) or below 3 °C (37 °F) are unknown in

11009-439: The third largest town in Portugal, in economic riches and the number of residents. The poet Bulhão Pato, writing of Ponta Delgada, was surprised by the extraordinary riches of the plantation owners, the "gentlemen farmers" that lived within the urbanized core: exporters of oranges and corn, bankers, investors, industrialists and shippers, all contributing to a privileged class of economic and social thinkers and philanthropists. At

11118-426: The time belonging to Burgundy. There was a revolt against Philip's rule, and disease and hunger became rampant. Isabel appealed to Henry to allow some of the unruly Flemings to settle in the Azores. He granted this and supplied them with means of transport and goods. In 1522, Vila Franca do Campo , then the capital of São Miguel , was devastated by an earthquake and landslide that killed about 5,000 people, and

11227-475: The unoccupied islands started in 1439 with people mainly from the continental provinces of Algarve and Alentejo , in mainland Portugal. São Miguel was first settled in 1449, the settlers – mainly from the Estremadura , Alto Alentejo and Algarve areas of mainland Portugal – under the command of Gonçalo Velho Cabral, who landed at the site of modern-day Povoação . The first reference to the island of São Jorge

11336-478: The volcanic activity has centered, primarily, along the Terceira Rift. From the beginning of the islands' settlement, around the 15th century, there have been 28 registered volcanic eruptions (15 terrestrial and 13 submarine). The last significant volcanic eruption, the Capelinhos volcano ( Vulcão dos Capelinhos ), occurred off the coast of the island of Faial in 1957; the most recent volcanic activity occurred in

11445-498: The world's major tectonic plates (the North American plate , the Eurasian plate and the African plate ), a condition that has translated into the existence of many faults and fractures in this region of the Atlantic. The westernmost islands of the archipelago (Corvo and Flores) are located on the North American plate, while the remaining islands are located within the boundary that divides

11554-476: Was a relatively large island with small settlements scattered about, except for Vila Franca do Campo in the central-southern coast and the smaller community of Ponta Delgada. Villa Franca had for many years been the center of the island economically and socially and the seat of the local government, but many nobles and landed gentry despised its subordinate status to the government in that town (originating many conflicts between these inhabitants and administrators in

11663-533: Was acclaimed in the Azores in 1580 (through his envoy António da Costa) but was expelled from the continent by the Spaniards following the Battle of Alcântara . Yet, through the administration of Cipriano de Figueiredo, governor of Terceira (who continued to govern Terceira in the name of ill-fated, former King Sebastian of Portugal ), the Azoreans resisted Spanish attempts to conquer the islands (including specifically at

11772-473: Was extinguished, along with the other districts ( Horta and Angra do Heroísmo ) on 22 August 1975, with the establishment of the Junta Regional dos Açores ( Regional Junta of the Azores ), the provisional government that assumed the competencies of the administration during the region's transition to constitutional autonomy. The municipality of Ponta Delgada is one of the larger administrative divisions in

11881-407: Was made in 1439, but the date of discovery is unknown. In 1443, the island was already inhabited, but settlement began only after the arrival of the noble Flemish native Willem van der Haegen . Arriving at Topo , São Jorge, where he lived and died, he became known as Guilherme da Silveira to the islanders. João Vaz Corte-Real received the captaincy of the island in 1483. Velas became a town before

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