Ajuda da Bretanha is a northern civil parish in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. It is a relatively new parish, being elevated to this status when the former parish of Bretanha was divided, forming Ajuda and Pilar da Bretanha. The population in 2011 was 661, in an area of 7.09 km<sup>2</sup>. It contains the localities Ajuda da Bretanha, Amoreira and Lombinha.
History
235px|left|thumb|Church of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda, Ajuda da Bretanha, São Miguel
There still exists some controversy relative to the origin of Bretanha in the local lexicon. The parish received its name from the original Bretanha of the older parish, and in accordance with popular tradition, it was adopted by the local Portuguese colonists to refer to the original settlers of the area. It is assumed that the area was originally inhabited between the end of the 15th Century and/or the beginning of the 16th Century. During this period the concentration of colonists from Great Britain, or Brittany, may have led to the local designation.
Originally (until 1960), Bretanha consisted of the three parishes of Remédios, Ajuda and Pilar. But, on 13 December 1960, Remédios was deannexed (under Decree 43/392) to form its own parish.
On 12 June 2002, following a survey of the populations of Bretanha and existing territorial requirements, the civil parishes of Ajuda and Pilar were created from the extinction of the historical parish of Bretanha. On the 25 February 2008, the official heraldry and coat-of-arms were officially presented by president of the Junta Freguesia.
Geography
The parish borders the crater of Sete Cidades to the south and Atlantic Ocean to the north, falls between Mosteiros and Pilar da Bretanha; coastal cliffs dominate the ocean border, while sloping towards the crater (an area that includes mostly forested tracts and pasture-lands).
On its creation, Ajuda da Bretanha was defined in the following terms: its northern border included the maritime coast; its southern frontier the Cumeeiras das Sete Cidades; to the east along the border with Remédios, classified under Decree Law 43/392 (13 December 1960); and to the west, along a line that begins at the coast and follows coincident with the waters of the Grota da Lomba Grande, to the south, following the Grota da Lomba Grande and the service access of the Caminho da Lomba Grande, following this road east until it intersects the Lomba Grande once more. Continuing south, the frontier accompanies the same margin and Caminho da Lomba Grande until the Cumeeiras das Sete Cidades. re-inaugurated on 13 August 2013, the windmill was reopened to the public after a period of remodelling, as part of a local tourist initiative for the civil parish, the windmill was an important part of the agricultural history of the community.
Religious
- Church of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda (), little is known of the history of this temple, except what could be gathered from its clergy; its first vicar was Afonso de Sampaio (began his service in 1527), and until 1640/1646 the church was dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Natividade (Our Lady of the Nativity). In 1634, Gaspar de Carvalho was vicar, receiving payment of money and three-and-a-half moios of wheat in compensation, a pattern that was repeated by 1730, when António da Silva e Sousa received similar compensation in wheat.
Culture
Festivities
During the month of August, Ajuda celebrates the feast of Nossa Senhora dos Anjos, with its principal religious ceremonies on August 15. From the parochial church, apart from celebrating masses in Her honor, a typical religious procession winds through the roads in the parish, accompanied by the traditional philharmonic bands.