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São Martinho (Funchal)
Encyclopedia
São Martinho is a civil parish and suburb
settled in 1579, along the western limits of the municipality of Funchal
, in the archipelago of Madeira
. The population in 2001 was 20,636, covering an area of approximately 8.06 km² (a density 2,595 inhabitants per km² of territory).
, and later São Pedro
, when it was finally deannexed in 1597. The lands immediately around the commercial centre of Funchal were quickly acquired and put into service for cultivation of subsistence crops. As with the other settlements in the Portuguese Empire
, these settlements eventually formed from communities of living in the shadow of small chapels that dotted the landscape. The same was true for São Martinho: a small artesanal business and chapel constituted the first buildings in this region, owned by Afonso Anes, who was responsible for guiding the influencing development, becoming a parish on 3 March 1579. Much later a new church was a formal church constructed, by the 19th century.
The establishment of an Administrative Code in 1878, defined the creation of a level of government below the municipality, giving rise to the civil parish system that coincided with the older ecclesiastical parishes. On 23 June 1916, by decree law 621, the parish of São Martinho was created.
and nearly approximately three kilometres east of Câmara de Lobos
. It is connected with a secondary road linking Funchal
and Estreito de Câmara de Lobos and north to Curral das Freiras
along with the northern suburbs of Funchal
. The Atlantic Ocean
is to the south including the main highway. The mountain slope lies to the north and a small mountaintop about 1 km southeast elevating 262 metres. The eastern part has the overview of the panorama of most of Funchal and the environs and the mountains to the eastern part and Câmara de Lobos
and the environs including Cabo Girão
to the west.
Farmlands and agriculture dominated most of the parish until suburban housing sprawl developed in the mid-20th century. Much of the land is now occupied by residential or commercial buildings and highly urbanized, while some pockets of unoccupied land are sporadically located around the church and the small mountaintops to the west and northwest.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
settled in 1579, along the western limits of the municipality of Funchal
Funchal
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
, in the archipelago of 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...
. The population in 2001 was 20,636, covering an area of approximately 8.06 km² (a density 2,595 inhabitants per km² of territory).
History
During the island's early settlement, the area that includes the present parish was part of the much large SéSé (Funchal)
Sé is a civil parish in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, the smallest parish and historical centre of Funchal. In 2001 its population included 2148 residents, along the southern coast of Madeira in an area of approximately 3.82 km²...
, and later São Pedro
São Pedro (Funchal)
São Pedro is a civil parish in the municipality of Funchal in the islands of Madeira. In 2001, the parish had approximately 7681 inhabitants located to the north of the coastal centre of Funchal, in an area of the area is 1.49 km² : it is one of the smallest parishes on the island.São Pedro...
, when it was finally deannexed in 1597. The lands immediately around the commercial centre of Funchal were quickly acquired and put into service for cultivation of subsistence crops. As with the other settlements in the Portuguese Empire
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
, these settlements eventually formed from communities of living in the shadow of small chapels that dotted the landscape. The same was true for São Martinho: a small artesanal business and chapel constituted the first buildings in this region, owned by Afonso Anes, who was responsible for guiding the influencing development, becoming a parish on 3 March 1579. Much later a new church was a formal church constructed, by the 19th century.
The establishment of an Administrative Code in 1878, defined the creation of a level of government below the municipality, giving rise to the civil parish system that coincided with the older ecclesiastical parishes. On 23 June 1916, by decree law 621, the parish of São Martinho was created.
Geography
The parish covers the western portion of the central part of Funchal, located three to four kilometres west of FunchalFunchal
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
and nearly approximately three kilometres east of Câmara de Lobos
Câmara de Lobos
Câmara de Lobos -History:The location of the modern town is believed to be the original landing point for the Portuguese discoverer João Gonçalves Zarco, who is credited with the discovery of the Madeira Islands...
. It is connected with a secondary road linking Funchal
Funchal
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
and Estreito de Câmara de Lobos and north to Curral das Freiras
Curral das Freiras
Curral das Freiras , is a civil parish in the municipality of Câmara de Lobos in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira. In 2001 the popylation was just over 1673 residents, in an area that covers 25.07 km² of the interior mountain range of the island, in the shadow of Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo...
along with the northern suburbs of Funchal
Funchal
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
. The Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
is to the south including the main highway. The mountain slope lies to the north and a small mountaintop about 1 km southeast elevating 262 metres. The eastern part has the overview of the panorama of most of Funchal and the environs and the mountains to the eastern part and Câmara de Lobos
Câmara de Lobos
Câmara de Lobos -History:The location of the modern town is believed to be the original landing point for the Portuguese discoverer João Gonçalves Zarco, who is credited with the discovery of the Madeira Islands...
and the environs including Cabo Girão
Cabo Girão
Cabo Girão is a lofty sea cliff located along the southern coast of the island of Madeira, in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira. Cabo Girão is a popular lookout point, and starting point for hikers, as well as the location of the Encosta Cabo Girão a complex of 120 apartments located on the...
to the west.
Economy