Pedro Miguel
Encyclopedia
Pedro Miguel is a parish in the northeastern part of the municipality of Horta
on the island of Faial
in the Azores
. Pedro Miguel is located 6 km north of the city of Horta
on the main regional road that encircles the island. Farmlands cover the central and the eastern parts of the parish, while nearer to the caldera forests and mountains dominate.
who sent the vicar 25 thousand reis (ostensibly for construction or furnishing of their church).
Pedro Miguel became a parish in 1666. In order to protect itself from surprise attacks by pirates that roamed the Canal, a small fort Forte Baixo was constructed in the 17th century.
In 1871, both a boy's and girl's school operated from Pedro Miguel, since the community was part of a greater district that included Ribeirinha
and Praia do Almoxarife
. A justice of the peace operated from this district, where the electoral assembly was also situated. The population had reached 1,757 inhabitants by this time.
During the 1998 earthquake, which hit affected the northern communities of the island, several houses were damaged and the parochial church was unusable.
The parish of Pedro Miguel is situated in an area between Lomba dos Frades and Lomba Grande, and is bisected by the Ribeira de Pedro Miguel.
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...
on the island of Faial
Faial Island
Faial Island , also known in English as Fayal, is a Portuguese island of the Central Group of the Azores....
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...
. Pedro Miguel is located 6 km north of the city 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...
on the main regional road that encircles the island. Farmlands cover the central and the eastern parts of the parish, while nearer to the caldera forests and mountains dominate.
History
The first record of the parish, which was named for one of the original inhabitants, dated August 7, 1590, came from a financial transaction between King SebastianSebastian 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...
who sent the vicar 25 thousand reis (ostensibly for construction or furnishing of their church).
Pedro Miguel became a parish in 1666. In order to protect itself from surprise attacks by pirates that roamed the Canal, a small fort Forte Baixo was constructed in the 17th century.
In 1871, both a boy's and girl's school operated from Pedro Miguel, since the community was part of a greater district that included Ribeirinha
Ribeirinha (Horta)
Ribeirinha is a civil parish in the municipality of Horta in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. In 2001 the population was approximately 439, in an area of 11.27 km² . It is one of the northern parishes along Regional Road E.R. 1-1ª, linking the city of Horta to the rest of the island...
and Praia do Almoxarife
Praia do Almoxarife
Located in the municipality of Horta, Praia do Almoxarife is a civil parish of the archipelago of the Portuguese Azores. Ironically, for its history , its population has not grown significantly since it was settled...
. A justice of the peace operated from this district, where the electoral assembly was also situated. The population had reached 1,757 inhabitants by this time.
During the 1998 earthquake, which hit affected the northern communities of the island, several houses were damaged and the parochial church was unusable.
Geography
The parish of Pedro Miguel is situated in an area between Lomba dos Frades and Lomba Grande, and is bisected by the Ribeira de Pedro Miguel.