Povoação () is a municipality located in the southeastern corner of the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 6,327, in an area of 106.41&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.

History

Colonization of the island is commonly associated with the settlement of Povoação Velha, the first colony on the island of São Miguel. In 1427, Diogo da Silva first arrived in the area of Povoação, accompanied by several men: "Arriving here on the island, the nine discoverers took land in the place where today we call Povoação Velha for which they made later...and, disembarked between two fresh ravines of clear, sweet and cold waters, (the Ribeira de Além and the Ribeira de Pelames) between the cliffs and high lands, (Morro de Santa Bárbara and Lomba dos Pós) all covered in greenery of cedro, laurel, ginger and faias, and other diverse". From the beginning, the locality impressed the settlers, since it was abundant in vegetation, to them indicating a fertile land.

In 1432, Gonçalo Velho Cabral, then first Captain-Donatário of São Miguel, chose the locality for the first settlement on the island. It is bordered on the east and northeast by the municipality of Nordeste, to the north by Ribeira Grande, and west by Vila Franca do Campo. From 100,000 to 95,000 years ago, the Povoação crater, associated with the volcano, consists of volcanic products that were emitted from this volcano of the same name, that overlay the Volcanic Complex of Nordeste.

  • Law Court of Povoação ()
  • Municipal Council of Povoaçao (), today the main building for the entire municipality, the square building was inaugurated in the 20th century;
  • Park and Residence of Murtas ()
  • Sub-Regional Hospital of Povoação ()
  • Thermal Spa of Furnas ()

Religious

  • Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias ()
  • Church of Nossa Senhora da Mãe de Deus (), inaugurated on 24 July 1848, it is prized for the gild work and historic image of its patron saint;
  • Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça ()
  • Church of Nossa Senhora da Penha de França ()
  • Church of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios ()
  • Church of Nossa Senhora de Rosário (), most commonly known as the Igreja Velha (the Old Church), it was constructed in 1745, on the precise site that the hermitage and cemetery of Senhora da Consolação (Our Lady of Consolation) was erected;
  • Church of Santa Ana ()
  • Church of São Paulo ()
  • Hermitage of Santa Ana ()
  • Hermitage of Santa Bárbara ()

References

Notes

Sources

  • Photos from Povoação

pt:Povoação (freguesia)

ru:Повоасан (район)

tr:Povoação (bucak)

war:Povoação