Ponta Delgada (; ) is the largest municipality (''
concelho
Concelho () is the Portuguese-language term for municipality, referring to the territorial subdivision in local government. In comparison, the word ''município'' () refers to the organs of State. This differentiation is still in use in Portugal ...
'') and executive capital of the Autonomous Region of the
Azores
The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...
in Portugal. It is located on
São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island (; ), nicknamed "The Green Island" (), is the largest and most populous island in the Portugal, Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The island covers and has around 140,000 inhabitants, with 45,000 people residing in Ponta D ...
, the largest and most populous in the archipelago. As of 2021, it has 67,287 inhabitants, in an area of . There are 17,629 residents in the three central
civil parishes
In England, a civil parish is a type of Parish (administrative division), administrative parish used for Local government in England, local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishe ...
that comprise the historical city:
São Pedro,
São Sebastião, and
São José.
[Instituto Nacional de Estatística]
/ref> Ponta Delgada became the region's administrative capital under the revised constitution of 1976; the judiciary and Catholic See remained in the historical capital 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 ...
while the Legislative Assembly of the Azores
The Legislative Assembly of the Azores () is the regional assembly/legislature of the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal.
History
The regional legislative assembly, since it was first instituted, has maintained its seat in the city of Ho ...
was established in Horta.
History
The origin of the placename Ponta Delgada (Portuguese for ''delicate or thin point'') was elaborated by the famous Portuguese chronicler, Father Gaspar Frutuoso, who wrote:
In around 1450, Pêro de Teive established a small fishing village that eventually grew into the urban agglomeration in Santa Clara.
Populated since 1444, São Miguel was a relatively large island with small settlements scattered about, except for Vila Franca do Campo in the central-southern coast and the smaller community of Ponta Delgada. Villa Franca had for many years been the center of the island economically and socially and the seat of the local government, but many nobles and landed gentry despised its subordinate status to the government in that town (originating many conflicts between these inhabitants and administrators in the southern coast). The nobles in Ponta Delgada sent a secret contingent, headed by Fernão Jorge Velho, to meet with King Manuel in Lisbon to petition that the community be emancipated. In Abrantes
Abrantes () is a concelho, municipality in the central Médio Tejo Subregion, Médio Tejo subregion of Portugal. The population was 39,325, in an area of . The municipality includes several parishes divided by the Tagus River, which runs through ...
, King Manuel conferred a foral
200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal
The ''Carta de Foral'', or simply ''Foral'', was a royal document in Portugal and its former empire, whose purpose was to establish a ''concelho'' (Council) and regulate its administration, borders and priv ...
on 29 May 1507, elevating the settlement to the status of the village ().
Then, in 1522 an earthquake and landslide devastated the provincial capital, destroying many of the buildings and killing several people. Ponta Delgada became the only centre with an infrastructure to support the Azorean bureaucracy and supplant its important economic links. Quickly, its role changed, and eventually it was elevated to the status of city during the reign of King D. João III by decree, dated 2 April 1546.
The naval Battle of Ponta Delgada
The naval Battle of Vila Franca do Campo, also known as Battle of Ponta Delgada and Naval Battle of Terceira Island, took place on 26 July 1582, off the coast of the island of São Miguel Island, São Miguel in the Portugal, Portuguese archipe ...
(also known as the ''Battle of São Miguel'') took place on 26 July 1582, off the coast, as part of the 1580 Portuguese succession crisis. An Anglo-French corsair expedition sailed against Spain to preserve Portuguese control of the Azores, which had aligned itself with the pretender António, Prior of Crato, thereby preventing Spanish control (it was the largest French force sent overseas before the age of Louis XIV).
During the 19th century the municipality experienced its greatest boost of economic activity, with the funneling of citrus exports to United Kingdom and the growth of foreign-owned businesses in the historic center, many of them Jewish merchants after 1818. As with other centres across the archipelago, the town of Ponta Delgada experienced many of the trends common for the period, including the "greening" of the communities (with the construction of the gardens of António Borges, José do Canto, Jácome Correia and the Viscount of Porto Formoso, which would become part of the University of the Azores
The University of the Azores (Portuguese: ''Universidade dos Açores''), or commonly abbreviated as ''UAc'', is the only public university in the Autonomous Region of the Azores. It was founded on January 9, 1976, two years after the Carnation Re ...
), the construction of many of the ornate homes/estates, the clearing of animals from urban spaces, the opening of newer, larger roadways, the moving of cemeteries to the periphery, and relocation of markets for fish, meat and fruits. Due to these changes, and growth of the mercantile class, Ponta Delgada became the third largest town in Portugal, in economic riches and the number of residents. The poet Bulhão Pato, writing of Ponta Delgada, was surprised by the extraordinary riches of the plantation owners, the "gentlemen farmers" that lived within the urbanized core: exporters of oranges and corn, bankers, investors, industrialists and shippers, all contributing to a privileged class of economic and social thinkers and philanthropists.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Ponta Delgada's position was relatively high (eighth largest), although the changing importance of rural economies steadily chipped away at its growth. But it remained the central place
Central Place is a mixed-use development in Arlington, Virginia, consisting primarily of Central Place Tower (headquarters of Gartner and CoStar Group) to the south, and a residential tower to the north, with a plaza between them. The office towe ...
in the economy and hierarchy of the Azorean archipelago. Consequently, it was at the forefront of political change following the Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution (), code-named Operation Historic Turn (), also known as the 25 April (), was a military coup by military officers that overthrew the Estado Novo government on 25 April 1974 in Portugal. The coup produced major socia ...
. In one such event, property owners and right-leaning farmers challenged the Civil Governor António Borges Coutinho, who was responsible, under the direction of the MFA government, to implement land reforms. The Micalense Farmers' Protest, forced his resignation, and inspired a series of terrorist acts that plunged the Azores into political turmoil. After a clandestine round-up of arrests and detentions by the Military Governor, the Autonomous District of Ponta Delgada was extinguished, along with the other districts ( Horta and 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 ...
) on 22 August 1975, with the establishment of the ''Junta Regional dos Açores'' (''Regional Junta of the Azores''), the provisional government that assumed the competencies of the administration during the region's transition to constitutional autonomy.[
]
Geography
Physical geography
The municipality of Ponta Delgada is one of the larger administrative divisions in the archipelago, extending from the center of the island to the western coast. Ponta Delgada is bordered on the northeast by the municipality of Ribeira Grande Ribeira Grande may refer to the following places:
Cape Verde
* Ribeira Grande (stream), a stream on the island of Santo Antão
* Ribeira Grande, Cape Verde, a town on the island of Santo Antão
* Ribeira Grande, Cape Verde (municipality), a municip ...
, and southeast by relatively new municipality of Lagoa.
Geomorphologically, Ponta Delgada covers a volcanic area composed of two structures: the Picos Region and Sete Cidades Massif. The ''Picos Region'' extends from the shadow of the ancient volcano of the Água de Pau Massif
Água de Pau Massif is a stratovolcano, stratovolcanic complex, located in the central part of the island of São Miguel Island, São Miguel, in the Portugal, Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. More recognizable for the Lagoa do Fogo at its ce ...
(known locally for the lake that rests within its volcanic crater: ''Lagoa do Fogo'') until the area around the Sete Cidades caldera. It is a volcanic axial zone oriented generally in a northwest–southeast direction, essentially defined by several spatter cones and lava flows and predominantly covered by dense vegetation and pasture lands. Its relief is relatively planar, especially along the northern and southern coasts, where many of the urban communities are located.
The ''Sete Cidades Massif'', the other geomorphological structure that makes up the municipality of Ponta Delgada, consists of a central volcanic caldera and lake-filled cones which surround the crater. It occupies the extreme western part of the island, oriented along a similar northwest–southwest orientation, with many regional radial fractures marked by lava domes and spatter cones. The Sete Cidades Volcano at the center of the Massif consists of a caldera and a polygenetic volcanic field within it, that includes four lakes (two of which Lagoa Azul, the Blue Lake, and ''Lagoa Verde'', the Green Lake, are linked). The caldera is almost circular and has evolved over the course of three phases. The first occurred 36,000 years ago forming the collapsed principal structure. The second phase conforms to a period approximately 29,000 years ago, when volcanic eruptions collapsed the northwest part of the structure. Finally, the third phase (about 16,000 years ago) caused the collapse of the north and northeastern portions of the caldera. Geologically, within the last 5,000 years, the central cone has been active (17 eruptions) and responsible for causing most of the activity in the archipelago, during that period. These geological eruptions were essentially trachyte
Trachyte () is an extrusive igneous rock composed mostly of alkali feldspar. It is usually light-colored and aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained), with minor amounts of mafic minerals, and is formed by the rapid cooling of lava (or shallow intrus ...
eruptions of the sub-Plinian or Plinian
Plinian eruptions or Vesuvian eruptions are volcanic eruptions characterized by their similarity to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, which destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii. The eruption was described in a le ...
type, with hydro-magmatic characteristics. The last eruption, at about 500 years ago, gave rise to the ''Caldeira Seca'' cone. Although there has been no historical activity today, its active status continues to be debated by the scientific community.
Most recently, its diverse geography includes various types of basaltic volcanism, both effusive and less explosive (essentially Strombolian and Hawaiian) along its flanks, usually conditioned by local and radial faults. The Mosteiros Graben
In geology, a graben () is a depression (geology), depressed block of the Crust (geology), crust of a planet or moon, bordered by parallel normal faults.
Etymology
''Graben'' is a loan word from German language, German, meaning 'ditch' or 't ...
is also an important feature in this area, representing collapse of lands on the northwestern flank of the caldera. Although there are no active aerial volcanic characteristics (like the fumarole
A fumarole (or fumerole) is a vent in the surface of the Earth or another rocky planet from which hot volcanic gases and vapors are emitted, without any accompanying liquids or solids. Fumaroles are characteristic of the late stages of volcani ...
s of Furnas), submarine vents around the region of Ponta da Ferraria and the beach at Mosteiros have been identified.
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, Ponta Delgada has a mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
and a humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(''Csa'' / ''Cfa'') bordering on an oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...
(''Csb'' / ''Cfb''). It has warm dry summers, with moderate precipitation, and mild, wet winters. Much like the rest of the Azores
The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...
, the city is shaped by the Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the United States, then veers east near 36°N latitude (North Carolin ...
, and consequently has a narrow temperature variation. Mean temperatures vary between in the winter to around in the summer and daytime highs vary between in the winter to in the summer. The average annual relative humidity is around 80%, which may influence the perceived temperature by a few degrees in the warmer months. Temperatures above , or below have never been registered. The strong influence of the Atlantic Ocean produces significant seasonal lag
Seasonal lag is the phenomenon whereby the date of maximum average air temperature at a geographical location on a planet is delayed until some time after the date of maximum daylight (i.e. the summer solstice). This also applies to the minimum ...
. On average, the coolest month is February, while the warmest month is August, as well as September, October, November and December each having warmer weather compared to July, June, May and April respectively.
The Gulf Stream also contributes to unstable weather that varies greatly during autumn and spring, making weather forecasting on a daily basis difficult. Winters are generally milder and summers are generally humid when compared to those of continental Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
. Its location is one of the limits for pressure measurement to verify the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO).
Climate change
A 2019 paper published in PLOS One estimated that under Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5, a "moderate" scenario of climate change
Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
where global warming reaches ~ by 2100, the climate of Ponta Delgada in the year 2050 would most closely resemble the current climate of Porto
Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...
. The annual temperature would increase by , and the temperature of the warmest month by , while the temperature of the coldest month would increase by . According to Climate Action Tracker, the current warming trajectory appears consistent with , which closely matches RCP 4.5.
Human geography
Much like other communities in the archipelago of the Azores, the municipality is shaped by its geography; most homes are clustered along the regional road network that circles the island, with many ancillary or agricultural access roads bisecting the central portion of the island (primarily in the ''Picos Region'') along a north–south axis.
Administratively, the municipality is composed of 24 parishes, that handle development, in the defense of local social, cultural, recreation and environmental concerns:
* Ajuda da Bretanha: new rural community, broken-off in 2002 from the parish of Bretanha, with a population of less than 1500 inhabitants;
* Arrifes: the largest milk-producing region of the Azores, Arrifes' population in 2001 was less than 7000 inhabitants, concentrated in three areas: Milagres, Piedade, and Saude;
* Candelária: 1184 residents lived in this community in 2001, an agricultural zone that is also highly forested;
* Capelas: often assumed to be the location of many religious sanctuaries, this agricultural community (3,759 inhabitants in 2001) was named for the volcanic structures that populated the coastal areas;
* Covoada: de-annexed from Relva in 1980, it is an agricultural community populated by small lakes, with 1259 inhabitants;
* Fajã de Baixo: one of the peripheral suburbs of the city of Ponta Delgada, it is highly concentrated, dense parish with 1,124.2 inhabitants/km2;
* Fajã de Cima: the northern limits of the city of Ponta Delgada, with a large residential population of 3634 inhabitants (2001);
* Fenais da Luz: the community is primarily located along a plain of productive farmland, its population less than 2000 residents (2001);
* Feteiras: a southern coastal community primarily concentrated on farming, with a population of 1709 inhabitants (2001);
* Ginetes: an agricultural and fishing community in the western part of the municipality, there were 1267 residents living in this parish in 2001;
* Livramento: also referred to as ''Rosto do Cão'', it is a continuation of the urbanized area of Ponta Delgada, and home to less than 3500 residents;
* Mosteiros: known for the islets, and hydrothermal vents
Hydrothermal vents are fissures on the seabed from which geothermally heated water discharges. They are commonly found near volcanically active places, areas where tectonic plates are moving apart at mid-ocean ridges, ocean basins, and hots ...
off-shore, this is the westernmost parish of 1196 inhabitants;
* Pilar da Bretanha: de-annexed in 2002 from the parish of Bretanha, this parish includes 750 residents dispersed in the foothills of the Sete Cidades Massif;
* Relva: known as the location of the international airport
An international airport is an airport with customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries. International airports are usually larger than domestic airports, and feature longer runways and have faciliti ...
, Relva is an important suburb and industrial center, with 2703 residents in 2001;
* Remédios: nestled between Bretanha and Santa Bárbara, along the northern coast, it is an area of dairy farming, with 997 inhabitants;
* Santa Bárbara: a parish with less than 100 inhabitants, between Santo António and Remedios, concentrated on agriculture;
* Santa Clara: an industrial center in the city of Ponta Delgada, known for its football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club, C.D. Santa Clara, as the center of the commercial fishery and manufacturing, as well as the island's fuel deposit;
* Santo António
Santo António (Portuguese for Saint Anthony), also known as Santo António do Príncipe, is the main settlement of the island of Príncipe in São Tomé and Príncipe. It lies on the north east coast. It is the capital of the Autonomous Region ...
: another agricultural community along the northern coast, whose population in 2001 was more than 2000 inhabitants;
* São José (Ponta Delgada): one of the traditional centers of the urbanized core of Ponta Delgada, that includes many of the historical buildings, including Campo de São Francisco, Church of São José and the sanctuary of the Convent of Esperança (location of the devotional image of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres, used in annual celebrations around Easter);
* São Pedro (Ponta Delgada): a central parish in the city of Ponta Delgada, home to the University of the Azores, the Marina, hotels and commercial businesses, and many blocks of apartments along Avenida D. João III and Avenida Natalia Correia;
* São Roque: also part of the ''Rosto do Cão'' area, it encompasses Ponta Delgada's primary beaches (Praia das Malícias and Praia do Pópulo), seaside avenues, as well as the city's municipal stadium and industrial park (Azores Parque);
* São Sebastião (Ponta Delgada): the central ''baixa'' of the city, includes all the historical buildings, traditional commercial business, and tourist attractions, including the Municipal buildings, Portas da Cidade, Matriz Church, Hospital do Divino Espirito Santo and Courts;
* São Vicente Ferreira: consists of primarily agricultural tracts along the northern coast and population of 1664 inhabitants (2001);
* Sete Cidades: located within the crater of the Sete Cidades Massif, the parish is bordered by twin lakes, and considered an ex-libris of the island of São Miguel.
Along the southern coast is the urbanized core of the historic village/town of Ponta Delgada, which includes the principal civic infrastructures, high-capacity motorways (), tourist and culture attractions, as well as the businesses and government services. This ''city'' of Ponta Delgada includes specifically the civil parishes of Santa Clara, São José, São Sebastião and São Pedro, which is divided by the motorways with the urbanized contour of Fajã de Cima and Fajã de Baixo. Not to be confused with a traditional city, the ''city'' of Ponta Delgada has no legal jurisdiction or mayor, but the ''municipality'' of Ponta Delgada has an elected official, the ''Presidente da Câmara Municipal'' who administers and ''Assembleia Municipal'', which is the representative council, while dispersed parish councils (and elected presidents) govern the localities that circle the western edge of São Miguel.
The urban core includes the ''baixa'' or ''lower town'', referring to the historic centre of buildings, shops and landmarks that gathered over the centuries around the square of São Sebastião and ''Praça Gonçalo Velho'' (dedicated to the island's discoverer). Immediately around this urban core are the municipal hall, the gates to the city () and old customhouse buildings in front of the main roadway that follows the coast (itself passing the Fort of São Brás and ''Campo do São Francisco'' in the west). Other important landmarks include the ''Portas do Mar'' (''Gates of the Sea''), main tower of the SolMar Avenida Center mall and Theatre Micalense.
International relations
Twin towns—Sister cities
Ponta Delgada is twinned with:
* San Leandro, California
San Leandro (Spanish language, Spanish for "Leander of Seville, St. Leander") is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area; between Oakland, California, Oakland to the northwe ...
, United States, since 1970
* Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States census, making it the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, tenth-largest city in the state, and the second- ...
, United States, since 1978
* Caué/Angolares, São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is an island country in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two archipelagos around the two main isla ...
, since 2000
* Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...
, United States, since 2003
* Pleven
Pleven ( ) is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality. It is the biggest economic center in ...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
, since 2007
* Praia, Cape Verde
Praia (, Portuguese language, Portuguese for "beach") is the capital and largest city of Cape Verde. , since 2008
* Florianópolis
Florianópolis () is the capital and second largest city of the state of Santa Catarina (state), Santa Catarina, in the South Region, Brazil, South region of Brazil. The city encompasses Santa Catarina Island and surrounding small islands, as we ...
, Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
Economy
With a strong concentration of service activities, the municipality is an important industrial and agricultural centre. The Arrifes-Covoada basin is the main bread-basket on the island of São Miguel, in addition to all the parishes located around the rim of the Sete Cidades Massif.[
In 1999, 1039 companies had their operational seats within the borders of Ponta Delgada, roughly equal to 45.4% of the companies of the Azores.][ Of these companies, 4.4% were in the primary sector, 13.7% in secondary industries and 81.9% in the tertiary service sector.][ The volume of sales (in 2000) was equivalent to 1,458 million Euros, associated with the service industry, of which banking, computer programming/services, corporate and commercial services, as well as tourism, dominate.][
Tourist activity in Ponta Delgada accounted for 34% of the hotel occupancy in the region, of which 46% were overnight trips (1997).][
Ponta Delgada has seen an increase in tourism since the Azores gained attention through many different travel media mediums, such as the World Travel Market London’s annual survey recognized the Azores as the world’s most underrated destination. Also, in recent years, Forbes, Bloomberg, BBC, Lonely Planet, Travel + Leisure, and other major global publications mentioned the Azores in their ‘must-visit’ lists for sustainable and adventure travel. The Azores and Ponta Delgada were one of the poorest areas in Europe, until they saw potential in the tourism industry. Now, flights have increased over 200% from North America, with the Ponta Delgada airport being the main hub for the islands. Also, a study in 2014 found that Ponta Delgada accounted for 41.5% of the accommodation capacity of the Azores, and the overnight stays in hotel establishments represented 55.5% of the Azores.
In addition, Ponta Delgada is the centre of administrative services in the region, with many of the governmental secretariats located in this municipal seat (including the Regional Presidency and several directorates).]
Several newspapers are published in Ponta Delgada, including Açoriano Oriental (one of the oldest continuing daily newspapers in the country) and the Diário dos Açores.
Transport
Served by an international airport in the parish of Relva ( Ponta Delgada-João Paulo II International Airport), the municipality is the principal port of entry for goods entering and people arriving in the Azores.[ SATA International and SATA Air Açores have their head offices in Ponta Delgada. As of 2024, the airport served nearly 3,3 million passengers.]
Near the harbour of Ponta Delgada a broad gauge
A broad-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge (the distance between the rails) broader than the used by standard-gauge railways.
Broad gauge of , more known as Russian gauge, is the dominant track gauge in former Soviet Union countries ...
railway was used several times to build and enlarge the harbor. The track used a seven-foot gauge, but it is unclear if this was Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel ( ; 9 April 1806 – 15 September 1859) was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who is considered "one of the most ingenious and prolific figures in engineering history", "one of the 19th-century engi ...
's Brunel gauge.
Three bus routes operate in the city on weekdays from 07:00 to 19:00.[ Line A runs in the western part of town, line B in the central/north, and line C in the east. There are bus services between Ponta Delgada and most other towns on the island, but usually only a few times a day. City services and island-wide services are both accessible along "Avenida D. Infante Henriques" and conveniently accessible from major sites in Ponta Delgada. Up to date schedules are available at bus stops and the tourist office. Distances on the island are short with journeys rarely longer than 90 minutes.]
Education
Ponta Delgada is home to the central nucleus of the University of the Azores
The University of the Azores (Portuguese: ''Universidade dos Açores''), or commonly abbreviated as ''UAc'', is the only public university in the Autonomous Region of the Azores. It was founded on January 9, 1976, two years after the Carnation Re ...
, a multi-disciplinary institution that ranges from courses in tourism, computer engineering, social sciences and business management. From its principal campus in São Pedro, the rectorate manages three poles spread throughout the Azores, including Horta (with courses in Marine Biology, affiliated with the ''Department of Oceangraphy and Fishing'') and 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 ...
(with a broad course calendar of courses in teaching, business and agricultural sciences).
Culture
Religious
Ponta Delgada is the traditional centre of the annual religious celebrations associated with the Feasts of the Lord Holy Christ of the Miracles (), from the Saint Francis Square (), located opposite the Fort of São Brás. This venerable feast day and week-long celebrations primarily focus on the fifth Sunday of Easter, attracting locals and Micaelense, in addition to peoples from neighbouring islands in the archipelago, the Portuguese diaspora, and tourists on vacation. Associated with the Roman Catholic veneration of an ''Ecce Homo
''Ecce homo'' (, , ; "behold the man") are the Latin words used by Pontius Pilate in the Vulgate translation of the Gospel of John, when he presents a scourged Jesus, bound and crowned with thorns, to a hostile crowd shortly before his crucif ...
'' representing Jesus Christ following the Passion (retold in Luke 23:1–25 in the New Testament), a gift to the sisters of the Convent of Caloura in the mid-16th century, the event paralyzes the streets of the city for a day.
Following the images' move to the Convent of Our Lady of Hope (), under the inspiration of the Venerable Mother Teresa da Anunciada, the figure was used in religious processions that snaked through the streets of the city, stopping at each convent (and former-convent) in the city. The cortege, which includes clergy, politicians, and lay folk, is a popular event, attracting both religious (to the procession, sanctuary and open-air mass) and secular participants (to view and see the procession, imagery and taste traditional foods from the ''barracas'' located along the main avenue).
Following Pentecosts, many of the parishes within the municipality participate in feasts dedicated to the Holy Spirit. A tradition across the islands of the Azores
The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...
, the Cult of the Holy Spirit dates to medieval traditions, involving "promises" made to God (), the processions of faith to and from the Church and feasts of meat-broth soup and bread donated to the poor. In comparison to other islands/parishes of the Azores, most neighbourhoods of São Miguel allow the free participation of visitors, seen as fulfilling the tenets of the tradition, rather than the narrow sub-community of the Brotherhoods of the Holy Spirit.
Secular
One of the more popular non-religious events is the ''Noites de Verão'' (''Nights of Summer''): a summer event, traditionally held in the square of ''Campo do São Francisco'', but in recent years dispersed throughout the streets of the city. Attracting families, friends and tourists to the downtown, highlighted by nightly musical events, popular Azorean bands/singers, guest concert bands, folklore groups, and some international stars, in addition to vendor concessions selling food, refreshments or small goods. Starting usually in late June, the "Summer Nights" run until late September (four months), and is sponsored/supported by the municipal government and local/regional businesses.[
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Sport
In addition to several parks providing green-spaces for multiple recreational activities, the city of Ponta Delgada is home to sporting associations and sites for racket sports, organized team and open-air activities. In addition to multiple water sports, such as swimming, surfing, and canoeing/kayaking, there are cycling routes and spaces for running/walking. Visitors to the region have access to tourist companies providing excursions to island trails, all-terrain paths and sea oriented activities such as diving, sport fishing, and boat tours.
Home to the Ponta Delgada Football Association, the region has a storied history of football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
that includes teams that have made it to the 1st and 2nd Divisions of the National Football League. Among them are Club Desportivo Santa Clara (Primeira Liga
The Primeira Liga (), also known as Liga Portugal Betclic for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Portugal and the highest level of the Portuguese football league system. Organised and supervised by the Liga ...
), Clube União Micaelense, (Portuguese Second Division
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 ...
) and Marítimo da Calheta (São Miguel Regional Championship League).
Notable people
* Gaspar Frutuoso (ca.1522–1591) a Portuguese priest, historian, and humanist
* José do Canto (1820–1898) a landowner, gardener, botanist and promoter of agricultural technologies
* Antero de Quental (1842–1891) a poet, philosopher and writer; lead the '' Questão Coimbrã, (Wiki PT)'' movement.
* Teófilo Braga (1843 in São José – 1924) writer, playwright and 2nd President of the Republic
* Ernesto Hintze Ribeiro (1849–1907) a politician, statesman and nobleman; 43rd, 45th and 47th Prime Minister of Portugal
The prime minister of Portugal (; ) is the head of government of Portugal. As head of government, the prime minister coordinates the actions of ministers, represents the Government of Portugal to the other bodies of state, is accountable to Ass ...
between 1893 and 1906
* Roberto Ivens (1850–1898) explorer of Africa, geographer, colonial administrator and an officer of the Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy (), also known as the Portuguese War Navy (''Marinha de Guerra Portuguesa'') or as the Portuguese Armada (''Armada Portuguesa''), is the navy of the Portuguese Armed Forces. Chartered in 1317 by King Dinis of Portugal, it is ...
* Maurizio Bensaude (1863–1912) a Portuguese operatic baritone.
* Alice Moderno (1867–1946) writer, feminist and animal rights activist; lived in Ponta Delgada from 1883
* Maria Evelina de Sousa (1879–1946), pioneer educator and feminist; ''Insignia of Recognition'' in 2017.
* Fernance B. Perry (1922–2014) MBE, Portuguese-Bermudian entrepreneur and philanthropist
* Natália Correia
Natália de Oliveira Correia, Order of St. James of the Sword, GOSE, Order of Liberty, GOL (13 September 1923 – 16 March 1993) was a Portuguese intellectual, poet and social activist, as well as the author of the official lyrics of the "H ...
, (1923 in Fajã de Baixo – 1993) an intellectual, poet, social activist and author of the official lyrics of the ''Hino dos Açores
The "Hymn of the Azores" () is the official regional anthem used during some ceremonies in the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores. For official purposes, the national anthem, "A Portuguesa", is always used during government events, in sp ...
'', the local regional anthem
* Sacuntala de Miranda (1934–2008) historian and political activist
* João Bosco Mota Amaral (born 1943) politician, the first President of the Govt. of the Azores 1976/1995.
* Jaime Gama
Jaime José de Matos da Gama (born 8 June 1947) is a Portugal, Portuguese former politician. In the Government of Portugal, Portuguese government, he served as Ministry of Internal Administration (Portugal), Minister of Internal Administration ...
(born 1947) a former politician, twice Portugal's Foreign Minister
In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
* Vasco Cordeiro (born 1973) a politician, President of the Govt. of the Azores 2012/2020.
Sport
* Mário Jorge (born 1961) a retired footballer with 235 club caps and 9 for Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
* Pedro Miguel Carreiro Resendes, (born 1973), commonly known as '' Pauleta'', a footballer with 459 club caps and 88 for Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
before being surpassed by Ronaldo
* Paulo Clemente
Paulo Clemente Ventura Raimundo (born 14 October 1983), known as Clemente, is a Portuguese retired footballer who played as a forward.
Over ten seasons, he amassed Segunda Liga totals of 323 games and 62 goals, representing a total of six club ...
(born 1983) a Portuguese retired footballer with 504 club caps
* Diogo Fonseca (born 1984) a Portuguese former footballer with 357 club caps
* Pedro Pacheco (born 1984) a soccer player with over 450 club caps and 18 for Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
References
Notes
Sources
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External links
{{Authority control
Municipalities of São Miguel Island
Municipalities of the Azores
Populated places established in the 15th century