Santo Espírito
Encyclopedia
Santo Espírito (ˈsɐ̃tu ɨʃˈpiɾitu) is a Portuguese
civil parish, located in the municipality of Vila do Porto
, in the autonomous region of Azores
. It has a population of 723 inhabitants and a total area of 26.65 km². The economy of the parish is based on agriculture. It is connected with a road linking to Vila do Porto.
to the south and east, and it is the largest parish by area covering an expanse of hills, mounts and vegetation-rich escarpments. It is the third most populated in the municipality of Vila do Porto, but its rural communities are very dispersed. Until recently most communities were limited to dirt-road paths and trails to connect them. It is now served by the regional road network, circling the island, and most rural communities have paved roadways.
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...
civil parish, located in the municipality of Vila do Porto
Vila do Porto
Vila do Porto is the single municipality, the name of the main town and one of the civil parishes on the island of Santa Maria, in the Portuguese Autonomous Region of Azores...
, in the autonomous region of 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...
. It has a population of 723 inhabitants and a total area of 26.65 km². The economy of the parish is based on agriculture. It is connected with a road linking to Vila do Porto.
Geography
The parish borders the Atlantic OceanAtlantic 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...
to the south and east, and it is the largest parish by area covering an expanse of hills, mounts and vegetation-rich escarpments. It is the third most populated in the municipality of Vila do Porto, but its rural communities are very dispersed. Until recently most communities were limited to dirt-road paths and trails to connect them. It is now served by the regional road network, circling the island, and most rural communities have paved roadways.
Human geography
The parish is made up of several scattered communities, that include: Termo da Igreja, Malbusca, Calheta, Panasco, Glória, Cruz, Cardal, Boavista, Fonte do Jordão, Terras do Raposo, Lapa, Feteirinha, Almas, Santo António, Azenha, Loural and Maia.Civic
- Gonçalo Velho Lighthouse - located on Castelo near the coastal town of Maia, began operation in 1927.
- Lagar de Diogo Santos Faleiro - a medieval wine-press created from the rocks along the Ribeira do Aveiro in Maia.
- Museum of Santa Maria - originally an ethnographic and parochial intuition, it houses exhibits on history, culture and tradition; Santo Espírito.
- Whale Factory at Castelo - along side the Castelo, the abandoned/ruins and center of whaling in the southeast, Maia.
Religious
- Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte - located in Panasco, in an enclosed/walled patio.
- Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Glória - situated in the hilltop community of Glória.
- Chapel of Santo António - located in the hamlet of the same, and circled by other religious buildings.
- Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade - located in Malbusca, and constructed by the local community.
- Chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres - principal chapel of Maia, located near the port.
- Church of Nossa Senhora da Purificação - also referred to as the church of Candeis, dating back to 1537.