Vila de São Sebastião
Encyclopedia
Vila de São Sebastião, commonly shortened to São Sebastião (Portuguese
for Saint Sebastian) is a civil parish in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo
, on the island of Terceira
in the Portuguese
archipelago of the Azores
. In 2001, the population was less than 1984 inhabitants, in an area of land approximately 24.36 km² (a density of roughly 81 inhabitants per kilometre).
of the island to the Flemish
nobleman Jacome de Bruges
. The nobleman made for Terceira, where he disembarked along the southeast shoreline of the island, in an area called Pesqueiro dos Meninos. But, as Francisco Ferreira Drummond later indicated, "that they established themselves a league away, on a vast and appreciable field, that they called Porta Alegre, constructing a small church to the invocation of Santa Ana, the first and only church on the island, where were annexed the chapels of Santo António do Porto Judeu and São Pedro da Ribeirinha...". Drummond later added that these early settlers moved so far to avoid impending conflicts with Spain, in which Portugal was commonly active.
This areas was the oldest demographic centre by the time that Jácome de Bruges left Porta Alegre in 1456, in order to launch another settlement in Praia
. By this time a second place, Ribeira de Frei João was already inhabited by a nascent community. The discovery of a marble slab with inscriptions by Drummond and local inhabitants in 1780 imply that the parochial church of São Sebastião was established in 1480. Although the early church of Sant'Ana da Portalegre das Quatro Ribeiras was constructed some time after early settlement, the construction of a temple in the locality of Ribeira de Frei João was almost immediate.
King Manuel I
by charter dated 23 March 1503, elevated the local community to status of Vila (town) and seat of the municipality (which included the parishes of Porto Judeu and the locality of Raminho, which for a time pertained to the ecclesiastical parish of Altares). At this time, owing to the Church's patron saint being Saint Sebastian, the new municipality was renamed São Sebastião.
In 1836, Francisco Ferreira Drummond fought against the idea of dissolving the old municipality and merging it into Angra do Heroísmo. On April 1, 1870, São Sebastião became part of Angra do Heroísmo and changed its name to Vila de São Sebastião.
, and it is connected by a road linking Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória
. The mountains dominate the northwest part of the parish. Vila de São Sebastião has a few schools, a lyceum, a gymnasium, churches, and squares (praças).
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
for Saint Sebastian) is a civil parish in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo
Angra do Heroísmo
Angra do Heroísmo , locally referred to as Angra, is a municipality and city on the island of Terceira, within the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores. The municipal area has a population of 35,581 and an area of . Along with Praia da Vitória to the north, it is one of two municipal...
, on the island of Terceira
Terceira Island
Referred to as the “Ilha Lilás” , Terceira is an island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 56,000 inhabitants in an area of approximately 396.75 km²...
in the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
archipelago of 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...
. In 2001, the population was less than 1984 inhabitants, in an area of land approximately 24.36 km² (a density of roughly 81 inhabitants per kilometre).
History
The history of the parish, is tied to the early settlement of Terceira. On year after, the Infante Henry the Navigator signed a charter on 21 March 1450 in Silves to pass the donatorioDonatorio
A Donatário, a Portuguese word roughly meaning 'endowed' sometimes anglicized as Donatary, was a private person who was bestowed by the Crown with a considerable piece of land, called a donátaria, which was handed over at his discretion, exempt from normal colonial administration through some...
of the island to the Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
nobleman Jacome de Bruges
Jácome de Bruges
Jácome de Bruges was a servant of Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal, who was the son of king John I. Henry, quite famously, initiated the so-called Age of Discovery in the fifteenth century....
. The nobleman made for Terceira, where he disembarked along the southeast shoreline of the island, in an area called Pesqueiro dos Meninos. But, as Francisco Ferreira Drummond later indicated, "that they established themselves a league away, on a vast and appreciable field, that they called Porta Alegre, constructing a small church to the invocation of Santa Ana, the first and only church on the island, where were annexed the chapels of Santo António do Porto Judeu and São Pedro da Ribeirinha...". Drummond later added that these early settlers moved so far to avoid impending conflicts with Spain, in which Portugal was commonly active.
This areas was the oldest demographic centre by the time that Jácome de Bruges left Porta Alegre in 1456, in order to launch another settlement in Praia
Praia da Vitória
Praia da Vitória is a municipality in Portugal's Autonomous Region of the Azores. The second largest administrative division on the island of Terceira, Praia da Vitória occupies the northern coast of the island and extends halfway into the interior having at its frontiers Pico Alto and the shield...
. By this time a second place, Ribeira de Frei João was already inhabited by a nascent community. The discovery of a marble slab with inscriptions by Drummond and local inhabitants in 1780 imply that the parochial church of São Sebastião was established in 1480. Although the early church of Sant'Ana da Portalegre das Quatro Ribeiras was constructed some time after early settlement, the construction of a temple in the locality of Ribeira de Frei João was almost immediate.
King Manuel I
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
by charter dated 23 March 1503, elevated the local community to status of Vila (town) and seat of the municipality (which included the parishes of Porto Judeu and the locality of Raminho, which for a time pertained to the ecclesiastical parish of Altares). At this time, owing to the Church's patron saint being Saint Sebastian, the new municipality was renamed São Sebastião.
In 1836, Francisco Ferreira Drummond fought against the idea of dissolving the old municipality and merging it into Angra do Heroísmo. On April 1, 1870, São Sebastião became part of Angra do Heroísmo and changed its name to Vila de São Sebastião.
Geography
It is located in the southeastern part of the island of TerceiraTerceira Island
Referred to as the “Ilha Lilás” , Terceira is an island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 56,000 inhabitants in an area of approximately 396.75 km²...
, and it is connected by a road linking Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória
Praia da Vitória
Praia da Vitória is a municipality in Portugal's Autonomous Region of the Azores. The second largest administrative division on the island of Terceira, Praia da Vitória occupies the northern coast of the island and extends halfway into the interior having at its frontiers Pico Alto and the shield...
. The mountains dominate the northwest part of the parish. Vila de São Sebastião has a few schools, a lyceum, a gymnasium, churches, and squares (praças).
Civic
- Farol da Ponta das Contendas (Ponta das Contendas LighthousePonta das Contendas LighthouseThe Ponta das Contendas Lighthouse is located at Contendas Point, on the island of Terceira, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.-History:...
), located on the southeast coast of the parish, the lighthouse is a "H" shaped structure used to protect this region as a navigational aid. Initiated in 1882, nonethless, it construction began in 1930, become operational by 1 February 1934.
Notable citizens
- Francisco Ferreira DrummondFrancisco Ferreira DrummondFrancisco Ferreira Drummond was a historian, palaeograph, musician and politician from a locality of Vila de São Sebastião on the island of Terceira, the Portuguese Azores...
(21 January 1796 - 11 September 1858), a Portuguese writer, historian and politician who fought against the extinction of the former municipality of São Sebastião, as well as author of the Annals of the island of Terceira.