Praia da Vitória
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Praia da Vitória (; translating as "Beach of Victory") is a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in the
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
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 ...
. With a population of 21,035 (in 2011), the second largest administrative authority on the island 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 ...
, it covers an area of , that extends from the northern coast halfway into the interior.Eurostat
/ref>


History

The area of Praia, was one of the first points colonized on the island of Terceira. Praia constituted the seat of the Donatary-Captaincy of Terceira between 1456 and 1474; the island's first Captain,
Jácome de Bruges Jácome de Bruges, 1st Captain-Donee of Terceira (born Jacob van Brugge, Gruuthuse en van der Aa circa 1418 in Bruges, Flanders) was the brotherPaviot speculates that he was born illegitimate, whereas Claeys maintains that he was legitimate. of L ...
along with his first lieutenant,
Diogo de Teive Diogo de Teive () was a maritime captain and squire to the House of Infante D. Henrique (1394-1460) during the Portuguese period of discovery. Following his exploration into the western Atlantic in the area of Newfoundland, in 1452 he discovere ...
, established their residency at this site. By 1474, the island was divided into two captaincies (Praia and Angra): the Captaincy of Praia reverted to Álvaro Martins Homem, Bruges' successor. The growth of the
woad ''Isatis tinctoria'', also called woad (), dyer's woad, or glastum, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae (the mustard family) with a documented history of use as a blue dye and medicinal plant. Its genus name, Isatis, derives from ...
industry and export wheat market concentrated along the fertile ''Ramo Grande'' area, allowed Praia to grow rapidly. Consequently, Praia was elevated to the status of ''vila'' (comparable to town) in 1480 (then still within the administration of Álvaro Martins Homem). By the last quarter of the 16th century,
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 ...
(the celebrated Azorean historian), wrote of Praia in these terms: During the
Iberian Union pt, União Ibérica , conventional_long_name =Iberian Union , common_name = , year_start = 1580 , date_start = 25 August , life_span = 1580–1640 , event_start = War of the Portuguese Succession , event_end = Portuguese Restoration War , ...
, King
Philip II of Spain Philip II) in Spain, while in Portugal and his Italian kingdoms he ruled as Philip I ( pt, Filipe I). (21 May 152713 September 1598), also known as Philip the Prudent ( es, Felipe el Prudente), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from ...
ordered an armada to Terceira to impose the governorship of Ambrósia de Aguiar Coutinho on his unruly subjects in the Azores and facilitate shipping to the Indies. Under the command of Pedro de Valdez, the fleet arrived in Santa Maria with seven large
carrack A carrack (; ; ; ) is a three- or four- masted ocean-going sailing ship that was developed in the 14th to 15th centuries in Europe, most notably in Portugal. Evolved from the single-masted cog, the carrack was first used for European trade fr ...
s and 1000 troops, took on provisions and sailed for São Miguel in the spring (where Governor Ambrósio de Aguiar Coutinho and his cousin supplied the group). After an initial assault on Angra, Valdez rushed to assault the island, disembarking troops at the Casa da Salga, in the valley 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 ...
(a mile from
Vila de São Sebastião Vila de São Sebastião, commonly shortened to São Sebastião ( Portuguese for Saint Sebastian), is a civil parish in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, on the island of Terceira in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population ...
), incensed that King Phillip was sending a larger contingent to capture Terceira. The
Battle of Salga The Battle of Salga occurred on 25 July 1581, along the Bay of Salga and around the coastal part of the parish of Vila de São Sebastião, island of Terceira in the Portuguese Azores, between Spanish and Portuguese forces. The latter, in the n ...
became an important event in the village of São Sebastião (then a parish of Praia) broke out along the coast in 1582. During the Restoration of Portuguese Independence, the citizenry of Praia acclaimed King John IV, when Francisco Ornelas da Câmara arrived in Terceira. The settlement was destroyed during the 1614 ''Caída da Praia'' earthquake, with many of the residents along the coast lost to the sea. Along the 17th century, even as the community was being re-constructed, there were several seismic aftershocks. 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 ...
, the harbour was the scene of a naval battle (in 1829) between the Liberals and the Absolutists, competing factions in support of King Pedro IV and King Miguel, respectively, 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 ...
. The
Battle of Praia A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
ensued when a squadron of Miguelist troops attempted to disembark at Praia (11 August 1829). As a result of this victory, Queen Maria II after being restored to the throne, acted to recognize its residents for their heroism by appending ''"Mui Notável"'' (''Very notable'') and ''"da Vitória"'' (''of the Victoria'') to its name (12 January 1837): it was at this time that Praia became known as ''Praia da Vitória''. Its importance in the economy of the north continued, even after the second ''Caída da Praia'' earthquake (on 15 June 1841), that partially destroyed the settlement. Its reconstruction, at the end of the 19th century was motivated by councillor José Silvestre Ribeiro. As priest Jerónimo Emiliano de Andrade (who lived in the town at the time), referred to Praia da Vitória: The town was elevated to city on 20 June 1981, although it continued to be referred to as the ''Vila da Praia da Vitória'' (until 1983). In the second half of the 20th century, a large aerodrome was constructed along the southwestern side of the Portuguese Air Base No.4. In addition, the port of Praia was expanded to include a 1400-metre extension. These two projects have supported the municipality's growth, along with its large industrial centre.


Geography

Praia da Vitória occupies the northern and eastern coasts of Terceira, bisecting it from northwest to southeast, through a varied geomorphology. Administratively, the municipality of Praia da Vitória is divided into the following civil parishes, which handle local distribution of services and support the local residents: * Agualva * Biscoitos *
Cabo da Praia Cabo da Praia is a civil parish on the east coast of the municipality of Praia da Vitória on the island 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 ...
* Fonte do Bastardo * Fontinhas * Lajes * Porto Martins * Santa Cruz *
Quatro Ribeiras Quatro Ribeiras is a civil parish in the municipality of Praia da Vitoria on the northern coast of the Portuguese island of Terceira in the Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azor ...
* São Brás * Vila Nova The urban centre, that includes the parishes of Lajes and Santa Cruz, fronts a ridge known as ''Facho'' that overlooks the airport of Lajes. It was used as a lookout for pirates and invaders, and later as marine military semaphore station and primitive lighthouse (lasting for 400 years). Apart from pasture-lands, the ridge was occupied by marine/naval housing and support buildings for Portuguese Air Base 4. At the far end is a monument dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Mary and lookout.


Economy

Praia da Vitória is a services, fishing and agricultural municipality and boasts a large marina, popular with the
yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...
ing community, with the only sizeable sand beach on Terceira.
Lajes Air Base Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base (; pt, Base Aérea das Lajes), officially designated Air Base No. 4 (''Base Aérea Nº 4'', BA4) , is a multi-use airfield near Lajes and northeast of Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira Island in the Azores, Portug ...
, a joint
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
air force base, lies three kilometers to the north of the town. American servicemen frequent the restaurants and clubs in the town and add considerably to the local economy.


Architecture

The town boasts two notable churches, several public squares, and a number of hotels and restaurants.


Civic

* Cocklestove of Boa Vista (') * Cocklestove of Rua Gervásio Lima (') * Customshouse of Praia da Vitória (') * Fountain of Biscoito Bravo (') * Fountain of Caminho Novo (') * Fountain of Cruz do Pico (') * Fountain of Largo Comendador Pamplona (') * Fountain of Largo Conde da Praia da Vitória (') * Fountain of Largo da Luz (') * Fountain of Ribeira da Areia (') * Fountain of Pico da Rocha (') * Fountain of Largo Francisco Maria Brum (') * Fountain of the Amoreiras (') * Fountain of the Barreiro (') * Fountain of the Caldeira of Lajes (') * Fountain of the Canada da Bezerra (') * Fountain of the Cruzeiro (') * Fountain of the Cruzeiro of Lajes (') * Fountain of the Fontinhas (') * Fountain of the Fundões (') * Fountain of the Ladeira do Cardoso (') * Fountain of the Malícias (') * Fountain of the Quatro Canadas (') * Hospital of the Misericórdia (') * Hospital of São Lázaro (') * Municipal Hall of Praia da Vitória (') * Municipal Market of Praia da Vitóra (') * Ramo Grande Auditorium (') * Residence of
Vitorino Nemésio Vitorino Nemésio Mendes Pinheiro da Silva (19 December 1901, in Praia da Vitória – 20 February 1978, in Lisbon) was a Portuguese poet, author and intellectual from Terceira, Azores, best known for his novel ''Mau Tempo No Canal'', as well ...
(') * Residence of Roda (') * Watermill of Rua dos Moinhos (') *
Watermill of Agualva The Watermill of Agualva ( pt, Azenha da Ribeira da Agualva) is a watermill located in the civil parish of Vila Nova, in the municipality of Praia da Vitoria, island of Terceira, in the Portuguese Azores. It is part of the inventory of historical ...
(') * City wall ('), built of volcanic stones on the beach to protect the city against tsunamis and pirates


Military

* Fort of Chagas (') * Fort of São João (') * Fort of Luz (') * Fort of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré (') * Fort of Rua Longa (') * Fort of São Bento (') * Fort of São Caetano (') * Fort of Santa Catarina (') * Fort of São Filipe (') * Fort of Santo Antão (') * Fort of the Espírito Santo ('), little remains of this 16th century fort situated on the northern edge of the Bay of Praia, which was bombarded and nearly destroyed during the
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
conflict. Its remnants survived to the 20th century, but were obliterated during the construction and support of the northern pier, even after a Luso-American compromise was established for its recuperation. * Fort of the Porto (') * Fort of the Porto of Biscoitos (') * Fort Grande (') * Post of the Fiscal Guard of Praia da Vitória (')


Religious

* Church of Santa Cruz (') * Church of Santa Bárbara (') * Church of Santa Beatriz (') * Church of São José, Santa Luzia e Santa Cruz (') * Church of Senhor Santo Cristo das Misericórdias (') * Hermitage of Nossa Senhora do Loreto (') * Hermitage of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios ('), located in Santa Cruz, the early 17th century chapel survived the
1755 Lisbon earthquake The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, impacted Portugal, the Iberian Peninsula, and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40 local time. In combination with ...
, but it was only in the second half of the 18th century that any efforts were invested in restoring the chapel. Following the earthquake and effects of the tsunami, parishioners marched through the streets in procession for their deliverance; * Hermitage of Santa Catarina (') * Hermitage of Santa Rita (') * Hermitage of Santo António (') * Hermitage of São Lázaro (') * Hermitage of São Salvador (') * Império of the Holy Spirit of Fonte do Bastardo (') * Império of the Holy Spirit of Quatro Ribeiras (') * Império of the Holy Spirit of Santa Cruz (') * Império of the Holy Spirit of São Pedro (') * Império of the Sailors ('), built in 1877 by fishermen from the neighbouring island of Pico at ''Largo José Silvestre Ribeiro'' Square


Parks

In the municipal park (''Jardim municipal'') a monument was erected in 1879 in memory of José Silvestre Ribeiro (1807–1891), a Portuguese politician who organized the reconstruction of the city after the earthquake in 1841.


Sport

It is popular with
windsurfers Windsurfing is a wind propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the aerospace and surf culture of California. Windsurfing ga ...
because of the constant seabreezes. Praia da Vitoria hosts an annual
triathlon A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of Swimming (sport), swimming, Cycle sport, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the t ...
and is known for its unique style of
bullfighting Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations. There are several variations, including some forms wh ...
, ''
tourada à corda Tourada à corda (; "bullfight by rope"), toirada à corda or corrida de touros à corda, is a type of bullfighting traditional to the Azores Islands, and particularly the island of Terceira, where it is believed to be one of the most ancient r ...
''.


Notable citizens

* Álvaro Martins Homem III ( 1490 in Praia da Vitória – 1535) a nobleman, 3rd Donatary-Captain of Praia da Vitória *
Alberto del Canto Alberto del Canto (c. 1547 – 12/10/1611) formally ''Alberto Vieira do Canto'', was a noble and military Portuguese conquistador who explored the north of Mexico, where he was founder from various cities. Biographical synthesis Birth and y ...
(1547 in Praia da Vitória – 1611)
conquistador Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (, ; meaning 'conquerors') were the explorer-soldiers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires of the 15th and 16th centuries. During the Age of Discovery, conquistadors sailed beyond Europe to the Americas, O ...
and explorer of the north of Mexico * Alexandre Martins Pamplona Ramos (1864 in Santa Cruz – 1933) a physician and politician. *
Vitorino Nemésio Vitorino Nemésio Mendes Pinheiro da Silva (19 December 1901, in Praia da Vitória – 20 February 1978, in Lisbon) was a Portuguese poet, author and intellectual from Terceira, Azores, best known for his novel ''Mau Tempo No Canal'', as well ...
(1901 in Praia da Vitória – 1978) a poet, author and intellectual * Luis Gil Bettencourt (born 1956 in Praia da Vitória) a Portuguese-American musician, songwriter and music producer. * Artur Lima (born 1963 in Santa Cruz) a dentist and politician *
Nuno Bettencourt Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt (born September 20, 1966) is a Portuguese-American guitarist, singer-songwriter, record producer, and businessman. He became known as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme. He has also recorded ...
(born 1966 in Praia da Vitória) a Portuguese-American guitarist, singer-songwriter, and record producer; lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme


References


External links

* http://www.ciberacores.com/santacruzpv – Website of the church of Santa Cruz (Praia) (only in Portuguese)
Photos from Praia da Vitória
{{DEFAULTSORT:Praia da Vitoria Municipalities of the Azores