Pedro Miguel is a ''

freguesia ''Freguesia'' (), usually translated as "parish" or "civil parish", is the third-level administrative subdivision of Portugal, as defined by the 1976 Constitution. It is also the designation for local government jurisdictions in the former Por ...

'' ("civil parish") in the northeastern part of the municipality of

Horta Horta may refer to: People * Horta (surname), a list of people Places * Horta, Africa, an ancient city and former bishopric in Africa Proconsularis, now in Tunisia and a Latin Catholic titular see * Horta, Azores, Portugal, a municipality ...

on the island of Faial in 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 ...

. Pedro Miguel is located 6 km north of the city of Horta on the main regional road that encircles the island. The population in 2011 was 759, in an area of 14.48 km².Eurostat
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History

The first record of the parish, which was named for one of the original inhabitants, dated August 7, 1590, came from a financial transaction between King Sebastian who sent the vicar 25 thousand reis (ostensibly for construction or furnishing of their church). Pedro Miguel became a parish in 1666. In order to protect itself from surprise attacks by pirates that roamed the Canal, a small fort ''Forte Baixo'' was constructed in the 17th century. In 1871, both a boys' and a girls' school operated from Pedro Miguel, since the community was part of a greater district that included Ribeirinha and

Praia do Almoxarife Praia do Almoxarife is a ''freguesia'' ("civil parish") in the municipality (''concelho'') of Horta, of the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 834, in an area of 9.20 km². Although it was the beachhead of early ...

. A justice of the peace operated from this district, where the electoral assembly was also situated. The population had reached 1,757 inhabitants by this time. During the 1998 earthquake, which hit affected the northern communities of the island, several houses were damaged and the parochial church was irreparably damaged.

Geography

The parish of Pedro Miguel is situated in an area between ''Lomba dos Frades'' and ''Lomba Grande'', and is bisected by the ''Ribeira de Pedro Miguel''. It contains the localities Abegoaria, Arrochela, Atras da Ladeira, Caminho Redondo, Grota Funda, Rua da Igreja and Rua Velha.

Ecoregions/Protected areas

Grota Funda is a cave located in a large volcanic crater located west of the parish centre, and which founded fragments of vegetable coals.

Economy

The communities economy revolved around mainly cereals and agricultural, as well as many orange orchards located closer to the center. The dairy industry was also an important contributor, and the Pedro Miguel was a major producer of local exports (most importantly butter).

Culture

Founded on 23 June 1977, the ''Grupo Folclórico e Etnográfico de Pedro Miguel'' ( en, Folklore and Ethnographic Group of Pedro Miguel) was established to perpetuate some of the traditions of the community, including folklore, song, dance and ethnographic representations. Using stylized period costumes, dating to late 19th and early 20th century, the group has travelled throughout the island and archipelago to present their brand of traditional culture. The large group (in 2011 about 41 members) of varying ages (13 to 60 years) promoted their first recorded CD in 2011, entitled ''Ao Toque da Viola''.

References

{{authority control Parishes of Horta, Azores