The Fajã das Almas, also known as ''Fajã do Calhau'', is a debris field, known as a

fajã () is a Portuguese term of obscure origin used to describe supratidal talus at the foot of coastal cliffs, caused by landslides or lava flows.G. Lameiras et al. (2009), p.827 Although relatively common world-wide, they are distinctive features ...

, built from the collapsing cliffs on the southern coast of the

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...

Manadas Manadas, once locally known as ''Santa Bárbara'', is a civil parish in the municipality of Velas, Azores, Velas in the Azores. The population in 2011 was 374, in an area of 11.20 km2. History Santa Bárbara was one of the older parishes on ...

, in the municipality of Velas, island of São Jorge, in the Portuguese archipelago of the

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

History

This fajã contains two hermitages, the Hermitage of Nossa Senhora das Almas, situated in the area of Barbós, and the Hermitage of Santo Cristo, constructed in 1876.SRAM (2012) On 9 September 1880, the hermitage of Santo Cristo suffered a fire, and was reconstructed through initiatives of the Baron of Ribeiro, Francisco José de Bettencourt e Ávila, and was consecrated on 14 January 1882. Near this church is a cistern, which was also ordered built by the Baron, who was one of the principal proprietors of the fajã. In 1981, the fajã had 78 residents, but along the preceding years, this population slowly decreased to the point that there were only five permanent inhabitants. Yet, through the reconstruction of the accessway to the fajã, the number of buildings in the fajã have increased, principally by emigrants.

Geography

It is accessed by a roadway that winds down to fajã, to a platform with limited parking. From this point the homes and coastal area reachable by foot or by small single-engine vehicles. The port is used for small-scale fishing, from along the coast and in the channel, which includes the capture of

Gadiformes Gadiformes are an order of ray-finned fish, also called the Anacanthini, that includes the cod. Many major food fish are in this order. They are found in marine waters throughout the world and the vast majority of the species are found in temper ...

such as Atlantic horse mackerel. The more frequent migratory and marine birds in the fajã include: sea-gulls, terns, shearwaters, kites, blackbirds and even wild ducks, as well as occasionally sandpipers. Due to the rich ecosystem the fajã is part of the IBA that includes the coast from Ribeira da Fajã das Almas until the ravine of Pico das Brenhas. This IBA comprises a long strip of coast, that includes examples of Azorina vidalii and Perrexil-do-mar.

References

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History

Geography

References

See also