Velas | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 38°40′55″N28°12′33″W / 38.68194°N 28.20917°W | |
Country | Portugal |
Auton. region | Azores |
Island | São Jorge |
Established | Settlement: c. 1460 Municipality: c. 1500 |
Parishes | 6 |
Government | |
• President | Manuel Soares Silveira |
Area | |
• Total | 117.38 km2 (45.32 sq mi) |
Elevation | 40 m (130 ft) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 5,398 |
• Density | 46/km2 (120/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC−01:00 (AZOT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC±00:00 (AZOST) |
Postal code | 9800-539 |
Area code | 292 |
Patron | São Jorge |
Local holiday | 23 April |
Website | http://cm-velas.azoresdigital.pt |
Velas (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈvɛlɐʃ] ⓘ ) is a municipality in the São Jorge Island, in the Portuguese autonomous region of Azores. The municipality encompasses the western portion of the island, with its municipal seat in the town of Velas on the south coast, and is divided into six parishes. The population in 2011 was 5,398, [1] in an area of 117.38 km². [2]
The origin of the name Velas has never been clarified by historians, although it may refer to the number of sailing ships that congregated in the municipality ("velas" is Portuguese for candles or sails). There may also been confusing in the similarity between velas, the word velhas (which means "old" in Portuguese) or "belas" (which means "beautiful", in the same language). Another reference is to the Portuguese term "vilar", which means vigilant, and may have been used to situation in the Canal, where residents were ever-vigilant for volcanic eruptions and/or seismic events.
The village of Velas is one of the oldest settled communities on the island, and has been traced back to the testimony of Infante D. Henrique, who referred to the 1460 when the community congregated around their church to the evocation of São Jorge. Its administrative status was elaborated in 1500, when it became the municipal authority and main village in the western part of the island (Topo being the first municipality). It was in 1507 that Velas could be identified on a map of the island of São Jorge as village. Similarly, the localities of Santo António (Norte Grande), and in 1559 Manadas were first recognized as a major settlements in the municipality; both centers would become religious parishes in 1543 and 1568 respectively. It was also in 1568, that Rosais would be recognized as a parish.
On the evening of April 28, 1580 (and during the following day), the ground would begin a series of about 80 earthquakes, that would cease abruptly. Nevertheless, on May 1 the tremors would return, followed by a volcanic explosion in the area of Queimada and later in the heights of Ribeira do Nabo, two kilometers east of the initial explosion. Volcanic lava was emitted along the Ribeira do Almeida and in Santo Amaro, and there was record of a pyroclastic flow that was responsible for the deaths of at least 10 people. This volcanic eruption lasted four months, and was responsible for many lava flows that travelled to the sea, and ash that fell as far as Terceira. During those months, 4000 cattle died due to gases and the lack of grazing lands, owing to the ash. Eight-years later, several floods would be responsible for the damage to many homes, while in 1593 agricultural production would fall, caused by a bad harvest.
On December 21, 1641, the community of Velas was also the center of an up-well in ocean that '"clawed itself from the sea with such luck that it dominated Monte dos Fachos, with three tides"; this mini-tsunami, although never called this in the literature, caused destruction in the village, injuring 50 people and dragging personal items into the sea.
By 1570, Velas had 1000 inhabitants, and later 2000 by the end of the 17th century. In 1822, there were 4200 residents in this municipality, but slowly these numbers diminished with several phases of emigration.
Piracy had always been a problem in the canal that separated the islands of the central group. Consequently, forts, such as the Fort of Santa Cruz in Velas (1629), another fort in 1641 (later expanded in 1644) and the Fort of Nossa Senhora da Conceição were constructed to impede attacks. In 1647, the residents of the municipality also constructed a lookout in the parish of Manadas to watch for pirates, as well as to intimidate them: the erected a gallows on the site to ward-off potential attackers. On September 18, 1708 a naval squadron, commanded by the French corsair René Duguay-Trouin, that included eight carracks and three other heavily armed ships attacked the town of Velas, after being unable to enter the port. The first direct attack on the villagers was repelled by men under the command of Sergeant-major Amaro Teixeira de Sousa, who was able to thwart a landing on September 19. But, the next day a new attempt was made, wherein one group (that included six boats) was directed at the "doors to the city", while a larger group (that included ten boats) was sent to the Morro das Velas (in the western corner of the village). This second group disembarked near Arco a contingent of 500 men, while killing local residents. The French privateers remained in the village for five days, sacking the churches and main houses. Following this encounter, the residents constructed the Fort of Nossa Senhora do Pilar, also referred to as Castelo da Eira.
In 1647, the parish of Urzelina separated from the parish of Manadas, owing to the existence of its natural port, which was important for the period of the "orange cycle", as well as off-shipment port for Verdelho and Terrenatez wines. Being a new focus of piracy, the citizens of Manadas constructed a gallows on a lookout to "dissuade" pirates. These improvements did not help during that year's earthquake in neighboring Terceira: as a result of the destruction both islands were affected by a period of famine, that was only alleviated through municipal supports.
Between April 23, 1659 and its consecration in February 1675, the Church of São Jorge undertook major renovations, initiated by Father Baltazar Dias Teixeira, under the authority of King D. Afonso VI of Portugal. [3] In order to pay for this re-construction, which would replace a primitive chapel of 1460, the town council initiated an annual tax in 1660, and the actual building began in 1664. The completion of the temple, and its consecration would be presided over by the Bishop of Angra do Heroísmo, D. Lourenço de Castro.
While the taxes imposed on the population were likely an unintended necessity, the famine of 1678, caused by the failure of the cereal crop would lead to minor conflicts between the councils of Pico and São Jorge. Similarly, the Taro Revolt, which started on July 12, 1694 would create internal divisions and tensions between the peasant and administrative classes on the island.
In 1698, the locality of Santo Amaro was elevated to parish status.
During the period of 1713 and 1714 the communities of Velas were affected by both a bad agricultural year and chaotic weather patterns. Famine and disease persisted after a tropical cyclone in late summer (September 25, 1713), which caused "the loss of supplies that caused the deaths of many people from famine". Later, on December 11, 1713, heavy rains in the areas of Urzelina and Rosais caused the destruction of 27 homes; the Ribeira do Almeida (which ran between the village and Queimada) was so heavily inundated with debris that it allowed residents to walk across the field, which was a sheltered bay in other years. A similar disaster was repeated in December 1732, when flooding caused the deaths of five residents and affected the communities of Urzelina, Figueiras, Serroa and Velas. But, in 1755, at the same time that the Lisbon earthquake affected the Portuguese capital, a tsunami reached the southern coasts of the islands of the Azores. The southern ports and communities of Velas attacked by successive waves, destroying personal possessions and homes. Two years later, the Mandado de Deus ("The Sent of God") resulted in landslides, destruction of homes and many deaths. The earthquake was known for damaging the Church of Santa Bárbara in Manadas, specifically (in 1770 it was declared a National Monument by royal decree of King D. Sebastião, since it was constructed in 1485).
The latter part of the 18th century, in addition to the reconstruction of many of the older temples (caused by the 1757 earthquake), was a period of many public works. In Manadas, the cornerstone for chapel of Santa Rita de Cássia was laid in 1757, [4] while in 1762 the Church of Nossa Senhora dos Neves over the older 17th-century chapel was constructed.
The municipality of Velas occupies half the island of São Jorge, from the northwest coast to the interior around Pico Gordo. It is coincident with the Western regional geomorphological zone from Ponta dos Rosais until approximately the area of Ribeira Seca, and characterized by a cascade of escoria cones and axial deposits that extend along the plateau, formed from fissural volcanism that originates in faults extending from the center of the island which run parallel along a north-northwest to south-southeast axis. A secondary range of faults also extend slightly to the area around the town of Velas. The progress of fissural volcanism runs along these accesses, and has resulted in volcanic features that are younger than the rest of the island; two volcanic complexes have their origin in Velas: the Volcanic Complex of Rosais (which is less than 10 million years in age) and the Volcanic Complex of Manadas (the older system which is between 10 and 600 million years in age). This has resulted in vistas that are exemplified by high coastal cliffs and central plateau dotted by several spatter cones along the center, as well as fajãs (geological debris fields or coastal deltas). The largest fajã, which extends from the geological cones of Morro de Lemos and Morre Grande to the Bay of Velas, is occupied by the principal population center, the town of Velas.
Typically, the municipality is circled by the western branch of the Regional E.R.1-1ª roadway that connects several of the main settled areas on this side of the island: in addition to the urbanized are of Velas, the western plateau is interrupted by the communities of São Pedro, Ribeirinho, Canadinha Nova, Arrifana, Rosais, Loural, Santo António, Norte Grande, Outeiro, Ribeira da Areia, Ladeiras, Manadas, Urzelina, Biscoitos, Boa Hora, Morgadias and Santo Amaro. The extreme coastal communities are relatively detached from the rest of these settlements, and include Fajã da Ribeira Areia, Fajá do Ouvidor (the only fajã with road access), Fajã de Além, Fajã Rasa, Fajã do Centelo, Fajã do João Dias and Fajã das Almas. Administratively, the municipality of Velas encompasses six civil parishes (or freguesias) that operate day-to-day functions, while Velas handles municipal services such as development, water, electricity, public administration, security and civil institutions. The six parishes of the municipality are:
Manadas, once locally known as Santa Bárbara, is a civil parish in the municipality of Velas in the Azores. The population in 2011 was 374, in an area of 11.20 km2.
Rosais is a civil parish in the municipality of Velas in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 743, in an area of 24.23 km².
Urzelina is a civil parish in the municipality of Velas in the Portuguese islands of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 902, in an area of 13.69 km². It is situated near the south coast of the island of São Jorge. It is alternately known as São Mateus, to which the parish was named after its patron saint.
São Jorge is an island in the central group of the Azores archipelago and part of the autonomous region of Portugal. Separated from its nearest neighbours by the 15-kilometre (9.3 mi) Pico-São Jorge Channel, the central group is often referred colloquially as part of the Triângulo ("Triangle") group or just "The Triangle". São Jorge is a relatively long thin island with tall cliffs, whose 8,381 inhabitants are concentrated on various geological debris fields (fajãs) along the north and south coasts; from east to west, the island is 53 kilometres (33 mi) long and, north to south, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) wide: its area is 237.59 square kilometres (91.73 sq mi).
Calheta is a municipality on the island of São Jorge, in the Portuguese autonomous region of Azores. The municipality includes the eastern portion of the island of São Jorge and borders the municipality of Velas. The population in 2011 was 3,773, in an area of 126.26 km².
Topo, also known as Nossa Senhora do Rosário, is a freguesia on the northeastern corner of the municipality Calheta on the island of São Jorge. It is considered the first settlement on the island of São Jorge to attain the status of municipality; from 1510 to 1867 "Vila do Topo" was the municipal seat of Topo, which included the neighboring parish of Santo Antão. The population in 2011 was 508, in an area of 9.24 km².
Conceição is a freguesia in the municipality of Horta in the Portuguese Azores. The population in 2011 was 1,138, in an area of 3.08 km². It is the second smallest parish within the administration of Horta.
Serreta is a civil parish in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo on the island of Terceira in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. Its elevation is approximately 471 metres (1,545 ft). The population in 2011 was 335, in an area of 14.36 km2. It is the smallest parish in the municipality by population. It contains the localities Canada das Fontes, Canada do Mato, Rossa do Couto and Serreta.
Ribeira Grande is a municipality in the northern part of the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese Azores. The population in 2011 was 32,112, in an area of 180.15 km2. The municipal seat is located in the civil parish of Matriz, with a population of about 4000 inhabitants, part of the urbanized core of what is commonly referred to as the city of Ribeira Grande.
Vila Franca do Campo is a town and municipality in the southern part of the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese Autonomous Region of the Azores. The population of the municipality was 11,229 in 2011, in an area of 77.97 km². The town proper, which incorporates the urbanized parishes São Miguel and São Pedro, has 4100 inhabitants.
The following is a list of notable natural disasters that have affected the Azores:
Vulcão da Urzelina is a volcano near the civil parish of Urzelina, Velas municipality, São Jorge Island, Azores.
The Fajã Mata Sete is a debris field (fajã) formed over time by collapsing cliffs on the northern coast of the civil parish of Rosais, in the municipality of Velas, on the island of São Jorge in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.
Ponta dos Rosais is a promontory located along the northwestern coast of the parish of Rosais, municipality of Velas, on the island of São Jorge in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.
The Fajã dos Cubres is a permanent debris field, known as a fajã, built from the collapsing cliffs on the northern coast of the civil parish of Ribeira Seca, in the municipality of Calheta, island of São Jorge, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.
Toledo is an unincorporated human settlement in the civil parish of Santo Amaro, in the municipality of Velas in Portuguese island of São Jorge Island in the Azores.
The Taro Revolt, or the Taro Mutiny, is the name given to the 17th-century peasant conflicts that occurred on the island of São Jorge—particularly the municipality of Calheta, in the parishes of Ribeira Seca and Norte Pequeno—in protest to the annual payment of tithes for the production of taro, a green-stalk plant whose root was used as a food source throughout the Azores.
The Fajã das Almas, also known as Fajã do Calhau, is a debris field, known as a fajã, built from the collapsing cliffs on the southern coast of the civil parish of Manadas, in the municipality of Velas, island of São Jorge, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.
The 1964 Rosais earthquake was a series of seismic swarms occurring in February 1964, leading to two major earthquakes on 15 and 21 February, resulting in the destruction of most of the habitable dwellings on the western part of the island of São Jorge, in the archipelago of the Azores. The event resulted in the evacuation of approximately 5,000 residents from that island to Terceira, Pico and Faial.