Santa Cruz das Flores (Azores)
| Santa Cruz das Flores | |||
| Municipality (Concelho) | |||
 Pico da Sé: a rare winter scene in the municipality of Santa Cruz das Flores
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| Official name: Concelho de Santa Cruz das Flores | |||
| Name origin: santa cruz, Portuguese for holy cross; literally Holy Cross of Flores | |||
| Country |  Portugal |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Autonomous Region |  Azores |
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| Group | Western | ||
| Island | Flores | ||
| Civil Parishes | Caveira, Cedros, Ponta Delgada, Santa Cruz das Flores | ||
| Center | Santa Cruz das Flores | ||
| - elevation | 35 m (115 ft) | ||
| - coordinates | 39°27′18″N 31°7′53″W / 39.455°N 31.13139°W | ||
| Highest point | Morro Alto | ||
| - location | Pico da Burrinha, Santa Cruz das Flores, Santa Cruz das Flores | ||
| - elevation | 911.03 m (2,989 ft) | ||
| - coordinates | 39°28′0″N 31°13′38″W / 39.466667°N 31.22722°W | ||
| Lowest point | Sea level | ||
| - location | Atlantic Ocean | ||
| - elevation | 0 m (0 ft) | ||
| Length | 13.73 km (9 mi), Northwest-Southeast | ||
| Width | 7.82 km (5 mi), Northeast-Southwest | ||
| Area | 71.69 km2 (28 sq mi) | ||
| - land | 69.64 km2 (27 sq mi) | ||
| - water | .62 km2 (0 sq mi) | ||
| - urban | 1.43 km2 (1 sq mi) | ||
| Population | 2,493 (2001) | ||
| Density | 35 / km2 (91 / sq mi) | ||
| Settlement | c.1548 | ||
| - Municipality | c.1895 | ||
| LAU | Concelho/Câmara Municipal | ||
| - location | Rua Senador André de Freitas, Santa Cruz das Flores, Santa Cruz das Flores | ||
| - elevation | 24 m (79 ft) | ||
| - coordinates | 39°27′12.72″N 31°7′40.82″W / 39.4535333°N 31.1280056°W | ||
| President | Manuel Alberto da Silva Pereira (PS) | ||
| Municipal Chair | Maria da Graça Silveira Armas Camacho (PS) | ||
| Timezone | Azores (UTC-1) | ||
| - summer (DST) | Azores (UTC0) | ||
| ISO 3166-2 code | PT- | ||
| Postal Zone | 9970 Santa Cruz das Flores | ||
| Area Code & Prefix | (+351) 292 XXX-XXXX | ||
| Demonym | Florenses; Santa-cruzenses | ||
| Patron Saint | Nossa Senhora da Conceição | ||
| Municipal Address | Rua Senador André de Freitas, 13 9970 Santa Cruz das Flores |
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| Municipal Holidays | 24 June (São João) | ||
 Location of the municipality of Santa Cruz das Flores in the archipelago of the Azores
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| Wikimedia Commons: Santa Cruz das Flores | |||
| Website: http://cm-santacruzdasflores.azoresdigital.pt/ | |||
Santa Cruz das Flores (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈsɐ̃tɐ ˈkɾuʒ ðɐʃ ˈfloɾɨʃ]) is a municipality in Portugal, located across from the island of Corvo on the island of Flores, in the western part of the autonomous region of Azores. With an area of 70.9 km² its approximately 2,500 inhabitants occupy the northern half of the island. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on all sides except south, where it borders Lajes das Flores.
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[edit] History
The earliest record of the northern municipality referred to the village of Santa Cruz das Flores, in 1548. Transcribing the works of Father Gaspar Frutuoso, Francisco Gomes documented the arrival of the crew of the nau Nossa Senhor da Misericórida. In the beginning of the 17th-Century Diogo das Chagas, referred to the villa of Santa Cruz as the "head of the island" and the center of the administration, noting "[the village]...is very well located with the best port on the island...". Going on, he described "...the first road of the Village and from the Porto das Poças another road, which is the last in the village, and where the rest of the roads intersect...". This year marked the municipal administration of the northern half of the island; part of the administrative regalia, was the obligatory construction of a lighthouse.
A primitivo church, dating to the 16th century and constructed in 1627, by vicar Inácio Coelho, who in 1641 provided land for the founding of the Franciscan Convent of São Boaventura, as well as the bread and wine for religious ceremonies.
By the end of 1693, Frair Agostinho de Montalverne, referred to 9000 inhabitants, living in 180 homes, primarily in the village of Santa Cruz. The original settlers were Portuguese, primarily from the area of the Alentejo and Minho.
Since January 7, 1841, the villa of Santa Cruz, was the judicial center for the dual-administration of Flores and Corvo (the Western archipelago); the justice system was handled from Santa Cruz, although a magistrate came from off-island. Santa Cruz grew and quickly surpassed Lajes demographically and in its economic position, finally coopting the politics in the two islands in 1895. On the November 18th of that year, the municipality of Lajes was made redundant, and along with Corvo, it became an integrated municipality from 1895 to about 1898. In 1898, the counsel José Luciano de Castro undertook the restoration of the individual administrative divisions.
[edit] Geography
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[edit] Physical Geography
As part of a volcanic island, the municipality of Santa Cruz das Flores offers several scenic vistas, with extinct volcanic cones and lakes in an area generally rugged. It is a natural garden, whose principal activities includes floral-culture and the ubiquitous Azorean dairy industries. The only significantly level ground is occupied by its primary center, Santa Cruz das Flores (parish), located on the eastern coast and near the municipal border with Lajes das Flores. Apart from a commercial center, it is the home of the island's only airport and secondary school.
To the north, along the only roadway, is the hamlet of Fazenda de Santa Cruz, noted for its Forest Reserve (Reserva Florestal da Fazenda de Santa Cruz), artificial lake and the island's only electrical station (constructed in 1967). The park is home to a small spawning program for trout, provides sites for picnicking, location of deer pens and an abundance of endemic plant species.
At the end of the Regional Road is the community of Ponta Delgada a coastal community with a line of sight to Corvo, as well as many sheltered coves and bays. The Gruta dos Encharéus (an enormous coastal grotto 50 meters long by 25 wide), the Gruta do Galo, the islets of Maria Vaz, Cartário, Abrões, Muda, Pão de Açúcar and Furado, as well as the plains of Ponta Delgada, Moinho and Vermelha, among others, are natural symbols of the coast of this municipality.
[edit] Climate
Santiago des Flores has a climate on the border between humid subtropical and oceanic. It has the highest rainfall of all the Azores’ islands and owing to the influence of the Gulf Stream the mildest winters of any place so far from the equator. However, the warm Gulf Stream waters mean rain falls on two-thirds of all days during the year and humidity averages around 80 percent.
| Climate data for Santa Cruz das Flores, Azores | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.2 (68.4) |
20.7 (69.3) |
21.8 (71.2) |
22.5 (72.5) |
24.8 (76.6) |
26.5 (79.7) |
29.8 (85.6) |
30.0 (86.0) |
29.4 (84.9) |
27.4 (81.3) |
25.0 (77.0) |
21.9 (71.4) |
30.0 (86.0) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 16.5 (61.7) |
16.3 (61.3) |
16.9 (62.4) |
17.5 (63.5) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.7 (71.1) |
24.2 (75.6) |
25.3 (77.5) |
24.0 (75.2) |
21.5 (70.7) |
19.3 (66.7) |
17.6 (63.7) |
20.01 (68.01) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 11.3 (52.3) |
10.9 (51.6) |
11.5 (52.7) |
12.2 (54.0) |
13.8 (56.8) |
16.0 (60.8) |
18.2 (64.8) |
19.1 (66.4) |
18.0 (64.4) |
16.0 (60.8) |
14.2 (57.6) |
12.5 (54.5) |
14.48 (58.06) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 2.1 (35.8) |
4.0 (39.2) |
3.4 (38.1) |
5.0 (41.0) |
7.2 (45.0) |
9.2 (48.6) |
11.4 (52.5) |
12.6 (54.7) |
11.1 (52.0) |
9.1 (48.4) |
6.5 (43.7) |
4.0 (39.2) |
2.1 (35.8) |
| Rainfall mm (inches) | 198.0 (7.795) |
191.3 (7.531) |
138.9 (5.469) |
108.8 (4.283) |
95.5 (3.76) |
85.7 (3.374) |
62.6 (2.465) |
83.9 (3.303) |
127.5 (5.02) |
147.1 (5.791) |
191.9 (7.555) |
210.9 (8.303) |
1,642.1 (64.65) |
| Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 23.9 | 22.0 | 21.1 | 18.6 | 18.6 | 15.7 | 15.0 | 16.4 | 19.7 | 21.9 | 22.1 | 24.7 | 239.7 |
| Source: [1] | |||||||||||||
[edit] Ecoregions/Protected areas
The western and interior parts of the municipality are largely vacant of inhabitants and unspoiled by development, partly responsible for the island's biodiversity being recognized by UNESCO (May 26, 2000). Many of the islands natural resources are located in this region, which includes Morro Alto (the highest point in the municipality and island at 915 meters) and the following natural sites of community interest:
- Reserva Florestal de Recreio Luís Paulo Camacho[2][3] (English: Luís Paulo Camacho Recreational Forest Reserve)
- Reserva Florestal Natural da Caldeira Funda (English: Caldeira Funda Natural Forest Reserve)
- Reserva Florestal Natural da Caldeira Rasa (English: Caldeira Rasa Natural Forest Reserve)
- Reserva Florestal Natural do Morro Alto e Pico do Sé (English: Morro Alto and Pico do Sé Natural Forest Reserve)
In addition to the Forest Reserves, the municipality is bisected by a series of pedestrian hiking trails, that skirt the coastal areas and the interior. These trails, at many levels of endurance, include trips that cover: Ponta Delgada, Cedros, Ponta Ruiva, the village of Santa Cruz, Fazenda, Monte, Vales, Ribeira dos Barqueiros and even the smaller parish of Caveira.[4]
[edit] Human Geography
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The municipality is administered by four civil parishes (Portuguese: freguesias) that include:
- Caveira - the smallest parish in size, bordering Lajes das Flores, with less than 100 inhabitants;
- Cedros - the "middle" parish that straddles the river-valleys of Alagoa Bay and historical location of orchards owing to its micro-climate;
- Ponta Delgada - third-largest community on the island, located along the northern coast;
- Santa Cruz das Flores - municipal seat, location of the airport and largest population (less than 2000 inhabitants.
Although the population of the municipality has remained relatively stable, it has seen a slow decrease over the years.
Since 2006, the local municipal government has developed many infrastructures, re-qualified many existing buildings, roads and improved the accessibility of existing localities. This included many improvements and expansion of roadways, provision of electrical, water and sanitary services, as well as the construction of new subdivisions (such as the Loteamento da Terça) and beautification programs.[5]
[edit] Architecture
[edit] Civic
- Casa-Museu Pimentel de Mesquita (English: Museum Home of Pimentel de Mesquita)
- Fábrica da Baleia do Boqueirão (English: Whale Factory of Boqueirão)
- Biblioteca Municipal (English: Municipal Library of Santa Cruz das Flores)
[edit] Religious
- Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Conceição (English: Church of Our Lady of the Conception)
- Igreja da Nossa Senhora de Lourdes (English: Church of Our Lady of Lourdes)
- Igreja de São Pedro (English: Church of Saint Peter)
- Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Pilar (English: Church of Our Lady of the Pillar)
- Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Livramento (English: Church of Our Lady of Liberty)
- Convento de São Boaventura (English: Convent of São Boaventura)
[edit] References
- Notes
- ^ "Normais climatológicas 71-00>Flores". Instituto de Meteorologia. http://www.meteo.pt/pt/oclima/clima.normais/024/. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ^ Reserva Florestal de Recreio Luís Paulo Camacho Pamphlet (Portuguese) for the Recreational Forest Reserve.
- ^ In 2002, this name was adopted by the Regional Government, to replace the more ambiguous Reserva Florestal Natural da Fazenda de Santa Cruz (English: Fazenda de Santa Cruz Forest Reserve) in Legislative Decree No. 16/1989 (August 30).
- ^ Itinerários Pedestres do Concelho Pamphlet (Portuguese) of the Hiking Trails.
- ^ Câmara Municipal de Santa Cruz das Flores (January 2007), p.2-11
- Sources
- Regional Legislative Assembly of the Azores (1989). "Decreto Legislativo Regional N.º 16/1989/A de 30 de Agosto" (in Portuguese). Ponta Delgada, Azores: Jornal Oficial: Presidência do Governo dos Açores. http://www.azores.gov.pt/JO/Serie+I/1989/Série+I+Nº+38+de+19+de+Setembro+de+1989/Decreto+Legislativo+Regional+Nº+16+de+1989.htm.
- Silva Cravinho, Luís Miguel da (2007). "Santa Cruz das Flores: Itinerários Pedestres do Concelho [Santa Cruz das Flores: Municipality Pedestrian Itineraries]" (in Portuguese). Santa Cruz das Flores, Azores: Câmara Municipal de Santa Cruz das Flores. http://cm-santacruzdasflores.azoresdigital.pt/FileControl/Anexos/Itenerarios%20Pedestres%20-%20Concelho%20de%20Santa%20Cruz.pdf.
- Câmara Municipal (January 2007). "Boletim Autárquico [Local Government Bulletin]" (in Portuguese). Santa Cruz das Flores, Azores: Câmara Municipal da Santa Cruz das Flores. http://cm-santacruzdasflores.azoresdigital.pt/Default.aspx?Module=Artigo&ID=95.
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