Monte Brasil is the remnants of a
tuff
Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. Following ejection and deposition, the ash is lithified into a solid rock. Rock that contains greater than 75% ash is considered tuff, while rock cont ...
volcano
A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.
On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates are ...
(and
peninsula
A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...
) connecting the south coast of
Terceira
Terceira () is a volcanic island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 53,311 inhabitants in an area of approximately . It is the location ...
in the central
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 ...
, overlooking the city of
Angra do Heroísmo
Angra do Heroísmo (), or simply Angra, is a city and municipality on Terceira Island, Portugal, and one of the three capital cities of the Azores. Founded in 1478, Angra was historically the most important city in the Azores, as seat of the Roma ...
. Monte Brasil is flanked by two bays: the
Bay of Angra
Bay of Angra ( pt, Baía de Angra) is a natural bay within the coastal extent of the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, on the Portuguese island of Terceira in the archipelago of the Azores. Within an average depth of , the bay has been of histor ...
(named for the city) to its east, and the Bay of Fanal to its west, and was used as a defensive point during the history of Angra, resulting in the construction of various forts and redoubts, including the
Fortress of São João Baptista overlooking the city.
History
The formation of Monte Brasil was the result of various eruptions of the Guilherme Moniz volcano, a large central volcano on the island of Terceira, this difficult to identify owing to subsequent eruptions and lava flows.
[França et al (2003), p.31] Although this structure is eroded, there is considerable evidence of its influence, including, specifically:
* a number of
trachyte
Trachyte () is an extrusive igneous rock composed mostly of alkali feldspar. It is usually light-colored and aphanitic (fine-grained), with minor amounts of mafic minerals, and is formed by the rapid cooling of lava enriched with silica and al ...
domes and basaltic eruptive centres around the interior;
* two
Surtseyan cones: Monte Brasil and the Cabras Islets; and
* several
ignimbrite
Ignimbrite is a type of volcanic rock, consisting of hardened tuff. Ignimbrites form from the deposits of pyroclastic flows, which are a hot suspension of particles and gases flowing rapidly from a volcano, driven by being denser than the surrou ...
deposits, including the Castelinho, that range to 23000 years of age.
[
An undated human presence on the mount includes artificial cavities located along the hill to provide shelter, but with little vestiges of formal use.][ Although those on Pico do Zimbreiro are vacant, similar spaces on the roadways to the caldera and ''Caminho das Belas-donas'' have bunks along the interior walls.][ Another grotto on the roadway that skirts the Fort of São Diogo indicates its use as place to collect and store water, including channels, taps and reservoir.][
Some specialists have speculated that these cavities have been created by ancient cultures, e.g. ]Phoenicia
Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their histor ...
ns. These chambers are not suitable for habitation but could be used as simple structures for Phoenician shrines. Such discovery would testify the presence of ancient cultures in Azores long before Portuguese. There are offered also other explanations, e.g. chambers were created in medieval times for the needs of military or agriculture.
At the end of the 16th century (around 1590), Monte Brasil was occupied by an estate/farm owned by Manuel do Rego da Silveira and several fortifications, including the Forts of São Benedito and Santo António (towards Angra) and the Fort of São Diogo (in the direction of the Bay of Fanal).[VPR (23 October 2013), p.8] The existence of reservoir and staircase, in addition to springs already identified in the 16th century cartography, reinforces the importance of Monte Brasil during this time.[
From this point forward many of the rock deposits (boulders/rock) from the volcano's submarine eruptions were used in the construction of the forts and defences along the coast of the islands.][França et al (2003), p.77] Writing in his epic tome ''Saudades da Terra'', the humanist theologian Gaspar Frutuoso
Gaspar Frutuoso (c.1522 in Ponta Delgada – 1591 in Ribeira Grande) was a Portuguese priest, historian and humanist from the island of São Miguel, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. His major contribution to Portuguese history was hi ...
, while describing Angra:
:''"...what makes it very beautiful, the great high mount called Brasil, as I mentioned, it is all covered in pasture, some farming (which had been covered in trees)...encircled on all four sides, two small two large, this a caldera"''.[
Between the 16th and 17th century, the construction of a system of fortified structures that would be the nucleus of the Fortress of São Filippe/São João Baptista do Monte Brasil.][SRAF (1989)] Its main fortification hugs the northern slope of Monte Brasil, but includes of redoubts, emplacements and garrisons around the flanks of the volcano, including the Fort of Zimbreiro, Fort of Santo António, Fort of São Diogo and Fort of Quebrada.[ Many of the road accesses to Pico do Facho, Pico das Cruzinhas and Pico do Zimbreiro, in addition to the caldera and coastal forts were opened during this period, giving access to most of the peninsula.][ On Pico do Facho, starting in this period and extending to the 20th century, was a house and ]semaphore
Semaphore (; ) is the use of an apparatus to create a visual signal transmitted over distance. A semaphore can be performed with devices including: fire, lights, flags, sunlight, and moving arms. Semaphores can be used for telegraphy when arra ...
signalling post along with several military structures,[ including excavations in the ground (channels and rectangular depressions) representing complex installations associated with these activities.
In the 19th century, the area around the Fort of São Diogo was improved and remodelled in order to support the construction of military batteries, during the ]Liberal Wars
The Liberal Wars (), also known as the Portuguese Civil War (), the War of the Two Brothers () or Miguelite War (), was a war between liberal constitutionalists and conservative absolutists in Portugal over royal succession that lasted from 18 ...
.[
At the beginning of the Second World War, structures were constructed on the summit of Monte Brasil to support coastal defences of the Azores, during a time when open warfare existed between the Allies and Axis.][ Buildings to garrison troops and munitions, including several artillery and anti-aircraft emplacements were established to protect the city from assumed submarine/naval attacks on Pico das Cruzinhas and Pico do Facho.][
In order safeguard the dynamic ecosystem of the region, the regional government established the Nature Park of Terceira (on 20 April 2011), that included the classification of Monte Brasil for the protection of the marine environment.][Diário da República (20 April 2011), p.2355] The R20Área Marinha Protegida de Gestão de Recursos do Monte Brasil (''Protected Marine Resource Management Area of Monte Brasil'') was established to protect the biodiversity of the fauna and marine habitats that included areas of submerse and semi-submersed grottos that exist along the cliffs.[Diário da República (20 April 2011), p.2365]
Geography
With its imposing point over the city, there are several lookouts situated along its edges that provide panoramic views of the island, including: the Angra marina, the coasts of Porto Judeu
Porto Judeu is a ''freguesia'' ("parish") in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo on the island of Terceira in the Azores. The population in 2011 was 2,501, in an area of 30.27 km2. It contains the localities Banda da Canada, Cruz, Cruz do C ...
and Ribeirinha, the islets
An islet is a very small, often unnamed island. Most definitions are not precise, but some suggest that an islet has little or no vegetation and cannot support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral; may be permanent ...
in the east, and to the west from the Bay of Fanal, towards Villa Maria until the parish of São Mateus da Calheta
São Mateus da Calheta is a civil parish within the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 3,757, in an area of 5.98 km2. It is located on the periphery of the urbanized area ...
. From its summit, on exceptionally clear days it is possible to view São Jorge and Pico, while towards the interior, apart from the various parishes that comprise the city of Angra, there are views of the volcano of Santa Bárbara (the highest point on the island), near the Serra do Morião.
Geologically, Monte Brasil is a wide, tuff
Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. Following ejection and deposition, the ash is lithified into a solid rock. Rock that contains greater than 75% ash is considered tuff, while rock cont ...
cone resulting from a basaltic submarine eruption.[VPR (23 October 2013), p.7] The internal structure of this volcano, which is in height above sea level (at Pico das Cruzinhas), is marked by layers of basaltic pyroclasts of various thicknesses (between centimetres and metres thick) forming a lithificated palagonite
Palagonite is an alteration product from the interaction of water with volcanic glass of chemical composition similar to basalt. Palagonite can also result from the interaction between water and basalt melt. The water flashes to steam on contact w ...
tuff.[
]
Biome
The island's temperate climate and Monte Brasil's micro-climate allows the growth of a rich vegetation and woody plant
A woody plant is a plant that produces wood as its structural tissue and thus has a hard stem. In cold climates, woody plants further survive winter or dry season above ground, as opposite to herbaceous plants that die back to the ground until sp ...
s, including Azores laurel
''Laurus azorica'', the Azores laurel or Macaronesian laurel, is a small, evergreen tree in the laurel family ( Lauraceae), found only on the Azores island group in the North Atlantic.
Description
The Azores laurel is a small dioecious tree, gr ...
(''Laurus azorica
''Laurus azorica'', the Azores laurel or Macaronesian laurel, is a small, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae), found only on the Azores island group in the North Atlantic.
Description
The Azores laurel is a small dioecious tree, grow ...
''), local heather (''Erica azorica
''Erica azorica'' ( Portuguese: ''urze'') is a species of heath endemic to 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= ...
''), Faya (''Myrica faya
''Myrica faya'' (firetree, faya or haya; syn. ''Morella faya'' (Ait.) Wilbur) is a species of ''Myrica'', native to Macaronesia (the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands), and possibly also western coastal mainland Portugal.
Description
It i ...
''), African boxwood (''Myrsine africana
''Myrsine africana'', also called Cape myrtle, African boxwood or thakisa, is a species of shrub in the family Primulaceae. It is indigenous to Southern and Eastern Africa, the Azores, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia and East Asia.
Descrip ...
'') and the common Azorean juniper (''Juniperus brevifolia
''Juniperus brevifolia'', the Azores juniper, is a species of juniper, endemic to the Azores (on Corvo, Faial, Flores, Pico, Santa Maria, São Jorge, São Miguel, and Terceira), where it occurs at altitudes of , rarely up to . It is closely ...
'').[ The introduction of new species on the island, the resulting deforestation of local areas for shelter and agriculture during settlement, meant that many endemic plants were overrun by exotic species.][
Due to great trans-Atlantic distances from the islands few natural mammals species exist on the islands of the Azores.][ Those animals that live on Monte Brasil, therefore were stowaways on ancient ships from Europe, introduced into the islands for game food or species that were blown out to sea: these include rat ('']Rattus rattus
The black rat (''Rattus rattus''), also known as the roof rat, ship rat, or house rat, is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus ''Rattus'', in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is n ...
''), least weasels (''Mustela nivalis
The least weasel (''Mustela nivalis''), little weasel, common weasel, or simply weasel is the smallest member of the genus '' Mustela,'' family Mustelidae and order Carnivora. It is native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, and has bee ...
''), rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus
The European rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus'') or coney is a species of rabbit native to the Iberian Peninsula (including Spain, Portugal, and southwestern France), western France, and the northern Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa. It has b ...
'') and the endemic Azorean bat ('' Nyctalus azoreumi'').[
Of the sedentary bird species the hawk ('']Buteo buteo rothschild
''Buteo'' is a genus of medium to fairly large, wide-ranging raptors with a robust body and broad wings. In the Old World, members of this genus are called "buzzards", but " hawk" is used in the New World (Etymology: ''Buteo'' is the Latin name ...
'') is the most notable, along with the Atlantic canary (''Serinus canaria
The Atlantic canary (''Serinus canaria''), known worldwide simply as the wild canary and also called the island canary, common canary, or canary, is a small passerine bird belonging to the genus ''Serinus'' in the finch family, Fringillidae. It ...
''), common House Sparrow (''Passer domesticus
The house sparrow (''Passer domesticus'') is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of and a mass of . Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, an ...
''), Rock Dove (''Columba livia
The rock dove, rock pigeon, or common pigeon ( also ; ''Columba livia'') is a member of the bird family Columbidae (doves and pigeons). In common usage, it is often simply referred to as the "pigeon".
The domestic pigeon (''Columba livia domes ...
''), Atlantic European Goldfinch ('' Carduelis carduelis parva'') and the Azorean subspecies of Common blackbird ('' Turdus merula azorensis'').[ Migratory and marine birds are more common in the islands of the Azores, resulting in the identification of several species including approximately 37 nesting species on Monte Brasil annually (28 land and eight marine species). During the summer, and especially along the mount's southern coast there are large bands of nesting species of Cory's Shearwater ('' Calonectris diomedea''), Common Tern ('']Sterna hirundo
The common tern (''Sterna hirundo'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, its four subspecies breeding in temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory ...
''), and the ubiquitous Caspian Gull (''Larus cachinnans
The Caspian gull (''Larus cachinnans'') is a large gull and a member of the herring and lesser black-backed gull complex. The scientific name is from Latin. ''Larus'' appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and ''cachinnans'' ...
'').[
]
References
;Notes
;Sources
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Angra do Heroísmo