Manadas
Encyclopedia
Manadas, once locally known as Santa Bárbara, is a civil parish in the municipality of Velas
in the Azores
. The population in 2001 is 400, its density is 32/km² and the area is 12.5 km².
At the beginning of 18th Century the population had grown to 500 residents.
The Port of Manadas was marked by a lookout's hut, constructed in 1647, to monitor shipping the São Jorge Channel. During the era of piracy, the locals would hang supposed pirates from this vantage point, as a warning to pirates or privateers of the consequences of attacking the village/municipality. Years later, the area of Manadas was the location of the Fort of Urzelina, which was used to protect the area. During the Orange Cycle (the economic period where local farmers produced citrus fruits for export) the lookout was used to warn of the arrival of cargo ships, and alerting them to have their produce in port for shipment. Later, the port was also the staging port for exports of Castelete wines to the European continent and England.
Manadas was the birthplace of the ethnograph João Teixeira Soares de Sousa
, who greatly contributed to the histo-cultural development of the island.
The parochial Church of Santa Bárbara was constructed over an older temple that dated to the 15th Century. The remodelled architecture, which dates back to the 18th Century, includes rare golden ornamentation and is one example of the Baroque-style, popular in the Azores. Classified a national monument, it remains unaltered since its construction; includes original azulejo
(dedicated to local quarrymen), its golden alters, an original roof (built with cedros
) and original sacristy. In addition, the parish is populated with several other historical religious sanctuaries: Chapel of Santa Rita de Cássia, Chapel of Senhora da Guadalupe and Chapel of Santo Cristo.
, on the municipalities southern border with (Calheta
); it is delimited by the São Jorge Channel (on the southern coast), the civil parish of Urzelina
(along the Ribeira Large) and the ridge of Pico da Esperança (in the civil parish of Norte Grande
.
The parish is populated by older cottages, orchards and fields in scattered settlements disperesed by mountainous cliffs, and highlighted by small coastal plains. The largest of these fajãs, location of the parochial church and village port, is the largest settlement (Fajã das Almas), located in the middle of the southern coast. Its semi-planar surface is in contrast with the cliffs to the east which front the São Jorge Channel, and has produced a micro-climate that has sustained many orchards and fields that produce coffee, wine, tropical fruits and species of Dragon trees (Dracaena draco
) typical of the Canary Islands
, Cape Verde
and Madeira
.
Along the foothills, there are several springs and fountains that sustained early settlements, while the ports, including the Port of Terreiros was originally center for the fishing industry, but now used for sport and summer fishermen.
Velas
Velas 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 divided into six parishes....
in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. The population in 2001 is 400, its density is 32/km² and the area is 12.5 km².
History
Santa Bárbara was one of the older parishes on São Jorge, probably founded before 1550, when 250 inhabitants lived in the parish and when it began appearing in documents during the 16th Century. In 1568, it was included in a listing of six religious parishes that occupied the island of São Jorge. At the time of its founding, it included an area vastly larger than its current borders with the communities of Urzelina, Terreiros and Fajã das Almas lying within its borders.At the beginning of 18th Century the population had grown to 500 residents.
The Port of Manadas was marked by a lookout's hut, constructed in 1647, to monitor shipping the São Jorge Channel. During the era of piracy, the locals would hang supposed pirates from this vantage point, as a warning to pirates or privateers of the consequences of attacking the village/municipality. Years later, the area of Manadas was the location of the Fort of Urzelina, which was used to protect the area. During the Orange Cycle (the economic period where local farmers produced citrus fruits for export) the lookout was used to warn of the arrival of cargo ships, and alerting them to have their produce in port for shipment. Later, the port was also the staging port for exports of Castelete wines to the European continent and England.
Manadas was the birthplace of the ethnograph João Teixeira Soares de Sousa
João Teixeira Soares de Sousa
João Teixeira Soares de Sousa , an Azorean politician and an investigator of Azorean history, anthropology, and ethnography, was born on the island of São Jorge in the municipality of Velas and the parish of Manadas, and he died at Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island. In general, he is referred to...
, who greatly contributed to the histo-cultural development of the island.
The parochial Church of Santa Bárbara was constructed over an older temple that dated to the 15th Century. The remodelled architecture, which dates back to the 18th Century, includes rare golden ornamentation and is one example of the Baroque-style, popular in the Azores. Classified a national monument, it remains unaltered since its construction; includes original azulejo
Azulejo
Azulejo from the Arabic word Zellige زليج is a form of Portuguese or Spanish painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework. They have become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture, having been produced without interruption for five centuries...
(dedicated to local quarrymen), its golden alters, an original roof (built with cedros
Cedros
Cedros in , but can also refer to:-=*Cedros , a municipality in the Honduran Department of Francisco Morazán:=In the archipelago of the Azores:...
) and original sacristy. In addition, the parish is populated with several other historical religious sanctuaries: Chapel of Santa Rita de Cássia, Chapel of Senhora da Guadalupe and Chapel of Santo Cristo.
Geography
Located 15 kilometres from the municipal seat of VelasVelas
Velas 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 divided into six parishes....
, on the municipalities southern border with (Calheta
Calheta
=In the archipelago of the Azores:*Calheta, a municipality on the island of São Jorge*Calheta , a civil parish in the municipality of Calheta*Calhetas, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribeira Grande, island of São Miguel...
); it is delimited by the São Jorge Channel (on the southern coast), the civil parish of Urzelina
Urzelina
Urzelina is a parish in the district of Velas in the Azores. The population in 2001 is 866, its density is 63.4/km² and the area is 13.67 km². It is also known as São Mateus....
(along the Ribeira Large) and the ridge of Pico da Esperança (in the civil parish of Norte Grande
Norte Grande
Norte Grande is a civil parish in the municipality of Velas on the island of São Jorge in the Azores; owing to the existence of an ecumenical faith community throughout its history, the parish has also taken on the name of its religious invokation...
.
The parish is populated by older cottages, orchards and fields in scattered settlements disperesed by mountainous cliffs, and highlighted by small coastal plains. The largest of these fajãs, location of the parochial church and village port, is the largest settlement (Fajã das Almas), located in the middle of the southern coast. Its semi-planar surface is in contrast with the cliffs to the east which front the São Jorge Channel, and has produced a micro-climate that has sustained many orchards and fields that produce coffee, wine, tropical fruits and species of Dragon trees (Dracaena draco
Dracaena draco
Dracaena draco, the Canary Islands Dragon Tree or Drago isa subtropical Dragon Tree native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, and locally in western Morocco, and introduced to the Azores...
) typical of the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
and Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
.
Along the foothills, there are several springs and fountains that sustained early settlements, while the ports, including the Port of Terreiros was originally center for the fishing industry, but now used for sport and summer fishermen.