São Jorge Island
HISTORY
The history of the discovery and settlement of this island is shrouded in mystery. The first reference to São Jorge dates from 1439 and it is known that around 1470 when there were already small colonies on the eastern and southern coast and the settlement of Velas had been established, the Flemish nobleman Wilhelm Van der Haegen arrived on the island. He founded a settlement in Topo and returned there to die, with his reputation established as a man of great virtue and his name already translated into Portuguese as Guilherme da Silveira. The island must have quickly become populated with an influx from the north of Portugal and rapidly became prosperous too, since Joao Vaz Corte Real, the Donatory of Angra in Terceira, was appointed to the Captaincy in 1483 and Velas had received its town charter by the end of the 15th century. Topo became the municipal seat in 1510 and Calheta in 1534, proof of a vigorous economy which, in addition to the mainstays of grapes and wheat, also cultivated woad and harvested orchil for export to Flanders and other European countries for use in dyeing. The dynastic crisis that erupted when Philip II of Spain was crowned king of Portugal had its repercussions in São Jorge which, like the island of Terceira, supported the pretender D. António, Prior of Crato, and only capitulated to the Spanish after the fall of Terceira in 1583. This was followed by centuries of virtual isolation, probably due to the inadequate shelter its ports afforded for ships and its limited economic status. Even so, it was still attacked by English and French privateers during the 16th and 17th centuries and suffered devastating raids by Turkish and Algerian pirates. At the end of the 16th century, a section of the fleet commanded by the Earl of Essex landed at the Calheta inlet. To repel the invaders, the inhabitants threw heavy stones - the only weapons they had - and a soldier called Simão Gato rushed at the commanding officer of the enemy force, knocked him down and seized the flag from his hands During the 18th century a French privateer Du-Gnay-Trouin ransacked São Jorge and in 1816 an Algerian pirate who was trying to take a merchant ship was driven off by shots fired from the fortress of Calheta. Sao Jorge also suffered other calamities, such as food shortages and hunger during the 16th to the 19th century in years when the harvest was bad, and the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions of 1580, 1757 and 1808. The past isolation of the island was finally broken following the work carried out on the two main ports - Velas and Calheta - and the construction of an airport, providing São Jorge with new opportunities for progress and prosperity, combined with full use of its natural resources, the expansion of the livestock and dairy industry and the fishing and canning industry.
GEOGRAPHY
São Jorge, an elongated island with 56 km long and 8 km wide, has an area of 246 km2. Formed by a straight line of successive volcanic eruptions, from which the craters remain, its central platform has an average height of 700 metres, rising to 1067 metres at its highest point. The coastline, which is steep and almost vertical, particularly in the north, is interrupted by small flat coastal areas – the "fajãs". It is located at longitude 28°33’ west and latitude 38°24’ north.
GASTRONOMY
Cheese
"Espécies" (sweet)
Fried pork fat
"Molha de carne" (a meat dish)
Conger-eel stew
Sausages with yams
"Bolo de véspera" (festival cake)
"Rosquilhas" (cakes)
Loquat and "angelica" brandy
FESTIVALS
THE HOLY SPIRIT FESTIVAL
This festival is celebrated on all the islands although it varies in detail from one to another and even within different areas of the islands themselves. All the parishes in each island have a chapel, known as an "Império" (empire), with its own brotherhood. These are considered the most typical in the islands'' tradition of religious festivals.
Place: Throughout the archipelago
Date: May to September and in particular the 7th Sunday after Easter
Event organisation: The Holy Spirit Brotherhoods
THE JULY FESTIVAL
For four days Calheta comes to life with folk parades and concerts, sports competitions, exhibitions and other activities.
Place: Calheta
Date: Second fortnight in July
Event organisation: Festival committee
CULTURAL WEEK
Popular festival providing lively entertainment for local residents during the first week of July, including folk music, sports, regattas, regional gastronomy and much more.
Place: Velas
Date: 2 to 8 July
Event organisation: Festival committee
PLACES TO VISIT
"FAJÃS"
Places of rare beauty which extend along both sides of the island and, due to their local microclimate, have become fertile areas. In particular, "Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo" in Ribeira Seca has an underwater grotto and a lake where clams are cultivated.
