Conceição (Horta)
Encyclopedia
Conceição is a civil parish
in the municipality of Horta
in the Portuguese
Azores
. In 2001 it counted a population of 1157 inhabitants with territorial limits of 2.74 km² (422.3 inhabitants/km²) between Espalamaca and the parish of Matriz in Horta, although it is the second smallest parish within the administration of Horta.
Along his holdings was a large promontory that overlooked the Bay of Horta, and extended into the Canal that the Flemish colonists referred to as The Needle (), later to be known in Portuguese as Espalamaca.
In 1498, Joss de Utra (the second Captain-donatário
of Faial
), established his administrative center for the village in the deeper part of the Conceição, thus attracting a settlement wave. A decade after this migration, King Sebastian
(30 July 1568) referred to several new communities in the eastern coast of Faial: São Salvador (Matriz
), with about 100 to 200 homes; Feteira, Castelo Branco, Praia do Norte, Praia do Almoxarife and Flamengos, with less than 100. In this document, the parish of Nossa Senhora da Conceição was established. Later, friar
Diogo das Chagas
, a noted historian, in his book Espelho Cristalino referred to this parish having 594 inhabitants scattered in 161 buildings.
D'Utra, would establish his administration at Rua do Bom Jesus No.16 in Conceição, to house his executive, administration and local jail (referred locally as the Casa da Câmara e Cadeia), literally the House of the Council and Jail. By November 5, 1632, Fernão Gomes Massam, then Corregador dos Açores, reported that the building became incapacitated and its roles were transferred to other buildings within the municipality.
Fortifications were constructed in the lower part of the parish during the 17th Century, including the Fort of Alagoa (July 1621) and later Fort of Bom Jesus (1821), in order to help protect and defend Horta from pirates/privateers that harassed and sacked the communities of the archipelago.
Nossa Senhora da Conceição was the second village in the Horta basin, after Matriz do Santíssimo Salvador, while only in 1684 was the parish of Nossa Senhora das Angústias established. The historian Gaspar Frutuoso
, noted that the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Church of Our Lady of the Conception) was constructed with three naves, and five columns on each side, and chapel located on its eastern quarter. In 1589, it was sacked by English privateers. In October 1597, it was once again pillaged, but then set aflame. Frair Diogo de Chagas noted that it was rebuilt, starting in 1607, becoming the “most perfect that existed before". It was reconstructed in 1749, under the direction of Padre Teodósio Ferreira de Melo.
In 1701, the Hermitage of Pilar was built by Father Filipe Furtado de Mendonça, along the edge of the parish (the back of the Espalamaca), where he was eventually buried. In 1729 it was destroyed during a fire. Also, across from the Casais do Farrobo, as noted by Gaspar Frutuoso, a chapel for Santo Amaro (Ermida de Santo Amaro) was constructed as promised by Braz Pereira Sarmento.
In 1858 the Forte do Bom Jesus, having been almost completely abandoned except for a canon, was requalified in order to house the new jail.
In 1868, a road was finally opened to the chapel of Santo Amaro in Flamengos.
The planting of the first submarine cable on Alagoa Beach, initiated the Era das Companhias dos Cabos (Era of the Cable Companies), on 23 August 1893.
The Palacete do Barão da Ribeirinha (Palacette of the Baron of Ribeirinha), the home of Vitoriano da Rosa Martins, then situated in the Largo da Igreja Paroquial, functioned provisionally as the Liceu da Horta (Lyceum
of Horta), an educational school for members of the upper-classes.
On 31 August 1926, the parish suffered an enormous earthquake that caused the inhabitants to become displaced or homeless. The grand local church did not escape the tremors, and was irreparably destroyed: it was reconstructed in 1933, in a modest Art Deco
-style.
For many years, Father Américo's project, the Casa do Gaiato, oparated a home for abandoned or orphaned children in Conceição. Inaugurated on 28 September 1969, it helped to transition many children into the society of Horta; for 30 years it provided aid and care to these children, under the tutelage of Father Raul de Jesus.
and Angústias
, makes up the northern limit of the city of Horta. Topographically it is divided into two parts: an agricultural area, divided by an escarpment that extends from the Sítio of Volta to the western border with Flamengos
, and a more urbanized area along the coast and Ribeira da Conceição, which is directly connected to the rest of Horta. The border extends across Espalamaca towards the Caminho Velho (Old Road) before cutting across the eastern extend of the Flamengos valley towards the Quinta do São Lourenço, cutting across a minor volcanic cone, before ending at the base of Monte Carneiro. The southern limit of the parish extends from the Estrada Regional E.R.2-2 towards the centre of the city of Horta, through the locality of Santo Amaro, before winding down the Ribeira da Conceição starting around the middle of the sítio of Volta to the Atlantic Ocean. From the Travessa do Mirante da Conceição, on the southern margin extends towards the municipal courthouse and traffic circle along the Avenida Marginal.
Gaspar Frutuoso
, referred to the ravine in these terms: "...in days of strong showers, the water strength and quantity of water overflow, difficulting the crossing [of] the center of the village". Even Frutuoso knew of the importance of this river, as he elaborated that the waters were used for mills along the waters edge, and requiring the bridge to cross between the two settlement agglomerations. Once called the Foz da Ribeira, later the Praia da Alagoa or Praia da Conceição (Beach of Conceição), is one of the few natural sand beaches on the island, and along with the Vitorino Nemésio Park is part of a recreational area in the shadow of Espalamaca.
Conceição also has a school, a lyceum, a gymnasia, churches, a nearby beach, a post office and a few squares (praças).
During the 19th Century, the barrio
of Santo Amaro, was known for its bakers that produced bread and pasteries for the city of Horta. During the 20th Century the activities were diversified to include many businesses: restaurants, snack-bars, cafes, mini-markets, gymnasiums, clothing shops, designers and publishers, music, stationary stores, furniture shops, jewellery, natural supplement shops, financial services, travel agencies, exporters and spas.
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in the municipality of Horta
Horta (Azores)
Horta is a single municipality and city in the western part of the Archipealgo of the Azores, encompassing the island of Faial. Horta has a population of about approximately 15,038 people and an area of 173.1 square kilometers. The population density is about 88 persons per square kilometer...
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...
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 it counted a population of 1157 inhabitants with territorial limits of 2.74 km² (422.3 inhabitants/km²) between Espalamaca and the parish of Matriz in Horta, although it is the second smallest parish within the administration of Horta.
History
The settlement of the area of Conceição was first attributed to the Flemish nobleman Joss van Aard, which was later transliterated into Portuguese as José da Terra (Joseph of the Earth/Land), where he made his home, cultivated a small parcel, and planted fruit trees on the edge of Ribeira dos Flamengos:- "...who settle along a ravine, today named Ribeira da Conceição, in virtue of the chapel to this invocation that he constructed..."
Along his holdings was a large promontory that overlooked the Bay of Horta, and extended into the Canal that the Flemish colonists referred to as The Needle (), later to be known in Portuguese as Espalamaca.
In 1498, Joss de Utra (the second Captain-donatário
Donatorio
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 Faial
Faial Island
Faial Island , also known in English as Fayal, is a Portuguese island of the Central Group of the Azores....
), established his administrative center for the village in the deeper part of the Conceição, thus attracting a settlement wave. A decade after this migration, King Sebastian
Sebastian of Portugal
Sebastian "the Desired" was the 16th king of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of Prince John of Portugal and his wife, Joan of Spain...
(30 July 1568) referred to several new communities in the eastern coast of Faial: São Salvador (Matriz
Matriz (Horta)
Matriz is a civil parish in the municipality of Horta, in the Portuguese Azores, which is part of the urbanized core of the city of Horta. In 2001, its population was 2523, in an area approximately 1.62 km² ; it is the smallest parish, densest and second-most populous parish on the...
), with about 100 to 200 homes; Feteira, Castelo Branco, Praia do Norte, Praia do Almoxarife and Flamengos, with less than 100. In this document, the parish of Nossa Senhora da Conceição was established. Later, friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
Diogo das Chagas
Diogo das Chagas
Diogo das Chagas was a Franciscan monk and Azorean historian, author of Espelho Cristalino, an important resource on the colonization of the islands of the central and western groups of the Portuguese Azores, after 1640.-Biography:He was the son of Mateus Coelho da Costa, Captain-major of the...
, a noted historian, in his book Espelho Cristalino referred to this parish having 594 inhabitants scattered in 161 buildings.
D'Utra, would establish his administration at Rua do Bom Jesus No.16 in Conceição, to house his executive, administration and local jail (referred locally as the Casa da Câmara e Cadeia), literally the House of the Council and Jail. By November 5, 1632, Fernão Gomes Massam, then Corregador dos Açores, reported that the building became incapacitated and its roles were transferred to other buildings within the municipality.
Fortifications were constructed in the lower part of the parish during the 17th Century, including the Fort of Alagoa (July 1621) and later Fort of Bom Jesus (1821), in order to help protect and defend Horta from pirates/privateers that harassed and sacked the communities of the archipelago.
Nossa Senhora da Conceição was the second village in the Horta basin, after Matriz do Santíssimo Salvador, while only in 1684 was the parish of Nossa Senhora das Angústias established. The historian Gaspar Frutuoso
Gaspar Frutuoso
Gaspar Frutuoso was a Portuguese priest, historian and humanist from the island of São Miguel, in the Azores...
, noted that the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Church of Our Lady of the Conception) was constructed with three naves, and five columns on each side, and chapel located on its eastern quarter. In 1589, it was sacked by English privateers. In October 1597, it was once again pillaged, but then set aflame. Frair Diogo de Chagas noted that it was rebuilt, starting in 1607, becoming the “most perfect that existed before". It was reconstructed in 1749, under the direction of Padre Teodósio Ferreira de Melo.
In 1701, the Hermitage of Pilar was built by Father Filipe Furtado de Mendonça, along the edge of the parish (the back of the Espalamaca), where he was eventually buried. In 1729 it was destroyed during a fire. Also, across from the Casais do Farrobo, as noted by Gaspar Frutuoso, a chapel for Santo Amaro (Ermida de Santo Amaro) was constructed as promised by Braz Pereira Sarmento.
In 1858 the Forte do Bom Jesus, having been almost completely abandoned except for a canon, was requalified in order to house the new jail.
In 1868, a road was finally opened to the chapel of Santo Amaro in Flamengos.
The planting of the first submarine cable on Alagoa Beach, initiated the Era das Companhias dos Cabos (Era of the Cable Companies), on 23 August 1893.
The Palacete do Barão da Ribeirinha (Palacette of the Baron of Ribeirinha), the home of Vitoriano da Rosa Martins, then situated in the Largo da Igreja Paroquial, functioned provisionally as the Liceu da Horta (Lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
of Horta), an educational school for members of the upper-classes.
On 31 August 1926, the parish suffered an enormous earthquake that caused the inhabitants to become displaced or homeless. The grand local church did not escape the tremors, and was irreparably destroyed: it was reconstructed in 1933, in a modest Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
-style.
For many years, Father Américo's project, the Casa do Gaiato, oparated a home for abandoned or orphaned children in Conceição. Inaugurated on 28 September 1969, it helped to transition many children into the society of Horta; for 30 years it provided aid and care to these children, under the tutelage of Father Raul de Jesus.
Geography
Conceição, along with the parishes of MatrizMatriz (Horta)
Matriz is a civil parish in the municipality of Horta, in the Portuguese Azores, which is part of the urbanized core of the city of Horta. In 2001, its population was 2523, in an area approximately 1.62 km² ; it is the smallest parish, densest and second-most populous parish on the...
and Angústias
Angústias
Angústias is one of the three civil parishes that form the city of Horta, on the island of Faial in the archipelago of the Azores. This is an economically active, densely-populated area with the second-smallest area , but with the largest population in the municipality of Horta...
, makes up the northern limit of the city of Horta. Topographically it is divided into two parts: an agricultural area, divided by an escarpment that extends from the Sítio of Volta to the western border with Flamengos
Flamengos
Flamengos is a Portuguese civil parish on the island of Faial in the archipelago of the Azores. Its name was derived from the grouping of Flemish settlers who made their homes in this landlocked valley, in the municipality of Horta...
, and a more urbanized area along the coast and Ribeira da Conceição, which is directly connected to the rest of Horta. The border extends across Espalamaca towards the Caminho Velho (Old Road) before cutting across the eastern extend of the Flamengos valley towards the Quinta do São Lourenço, cutting across a minor volcanic cone, before ending at the base of Monte Carneiro. The southern limit of the parish extends from the Estrada Regional E.R.2-2 towards the centre of the city of Horta, through the locality of Santo Amaro, before winding down the Ribeira da Conceição starting around the middle of the sítio of Volta to the Atlantic Ocean. From the Travessa do Mirante da Conceição, on the southern margin extends towards the municipal courthouse and traffic circle along the Avenida Marginal.
Gaspar Frutuoso
Gaspar Frutuoso
Gaspar Frutuoso was a Portuguese priest, historian and humanist from the island of São Miguel, in the Azores...
, referred to the ravine in these terms: "...in days of strong showers, the water strength and quantity of water overflow, difficulting the crossing [of] the center of the village". Even Frutuoso knew of the importance of this river, as he elaborated that the waters were used for mills along the waters edge, and requiring the bridge to cross between the two settlement agglomerations. Once called the Foz da Ribeira, later the Praia da Alagoa or Praia da Conceição (Beach of Conceição), is one of the few natural sand beaches on the island, and along with the Vitorino Nemésio Park is part of a recreational area in the shadow of Espalamaca.
Conceição also has a school, a lyceum, a gymnasia, churches, a nearby beach, a post office and a few squares (praças).
Economy
The main industries in this area are primarily associated with the forest industry (sawmills and carpentry) and civil construction, as well as many commercial businesses located along the coast. In the area of Santo Amaro, the economy is more closely associated with dairy and agriculture.During the 19th Century, the barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
of Santo Amaro, was known for its bakers that produced bread and pasteries for the city of Horta. During the 20th Century the activities were diversified to include many businesses: restaurants, snack-bars, cafes, mini-markets, gymnasiums, clothing shops, designers and publishers, music, stationary stores, furniture shops, jewellery, natural supplement shops, financial services, travel agencies, exporters and spas.
Civic
- Assistance Centre of Horta
- District Courthouse of Horta
- Mansion of the Lacerdas
- National Lyceum of Horta/Manuel de Arriaga Secondary School
- Residence Colonel Álvaro Soares de Melo
- Residence Pilar
- Residence Roberto Leal
- Residence Rua da Conceição, 14
- Residence Rua da Conceição, 22
- Residence Rua da Conceição, 23
- Residence Rua Professor Júlio de Andrade
- Windmills on Espalamaca
Military
- Coastal Battery of Espalamaca
Religious
- Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição
- Hermitage of Pilar
- Hermitage of Santo Amaro
Culture
Regionally, Conceição is represented by the Sociedad Filarmónica Artista Faialense (Faialense Artistic Philharmonic Society), the local band (founded on 21 February 1858). The Fayal Sport Clube, an athletics club and regional football team, has been responsible for training many of the island's athletes.Notable citizens
- António José Vieira Santa Rita (before 1810 - 22 December 1877), the Civil-Governor of the former District of HortaHorta (district)The District of Horta was a district of the Ilhas Adjacentes , consisting of the dependent western islands of the archipelago, located in the Atlantic Ocean...