Porto Moniz () is a municipality in the northwest corner of the island of
Madeira
Madeira ( ; ), officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (), is an autonomous Regions of Portugal, autonomous region of Portugal. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under north of ...
. It is located west of
Santana
Santana may refer to:
Transportation
* Volkswagen Santana, an automobile
* Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles
* Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer
* Sailboat designs by W. D. Schock Corp
** Santana 20
** Santan ...
and
Machico
Machico () is a municipality, parish and city in the southeast part of the island of Madeira Island, Madeira, in the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The easternmost municipality on the island, it is also the third-most populous area with a populati ...
, and northwest of
Funchal
Funchal () officially Funchal City (), is the capital, largest city and a Municipality (Portugal), municipality in Portugal's Madeira, Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 105,795, making it ...
. The population in 2011 was 2,711, in an area of 82.93 km
2.
The municipality features a natural complex of lava pools that are popular with locals and tourists.
History
It is unclear when the area of Porto Moniz was first colonized, although it is likely that it occurred at the beginning of the last quarter of the 15th century. Francisco Moniz ''O Velho'', is referred to as one of these first settlers, who had uncultivated lands in this area and was responsible for establishing a farm and chapel. The first settlers were mainly engaged in grain cultivation, cattle breeding and timber harvesting.
Francisco Moniz was a nobleman from the
Algarve
The Algarve (, , ) is the southernmost NUTS statistical regions of Portugal, NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities (concelho, ''concelhos'' or ''município ...
, who married Filipa da Câmara (daughter of Garcia Rodrigues da Câmara). He was one of the sons of
João Gonçalves Zarco
João Gonçalves Zarco ( 1390 – 21 November 1471) was a Portuguese explorer who established settlements and recognition of the Madeira, Madeira Islands, and was appointed first captain of Funchal by Henry the Navigator.
Life
Zarco was born in ...
, the discoverer of
Porto Santo
Porto Santo Island () is a Portuguese island and municipality northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean; it is the northernmost and easternmost island of the archipelago of Madeira, located in the Atlantic Ocean west of Europe an ...
(1418) with
Tristão Vaz Teixeira
Tristão Vaz Teixeira (c. 1395–1480) was a Portuguese navigator and explorer who, together with João Gonçalves Zarco and Bartolomeu Perestrelo, was the official discoverer and one of the first settlers of the archipelago of Madeira (1419– ...
and later the island of Madeira with
Bartolomeu Perestrelo
Bartolomeu Perestrello (, in Italian ''Bartolomeo Perestrello''), 1st Capitão Donatário, Lord and Governor of the Island of Porto Santo ( 1395 – 1457) was a Portuguese navigator and explorer that is claimed to have discovered and populated ...
(1419).
From the 18th century, vines were cultivated in the area around Porto Moniz, and from the 19th century, potatoes were grown.
The municipality was created on 31 October 1835, but was quickly abolished and reestablished successively in 1849-1855, 1867-1871 and again in 1895-1898.
File:Naturschwimmbecken zwischen Lavafelsen in Porto Moniz, Madeira. 07.jpg
File:Naturschwimmbecken zwischen Lavafelsen in Porto Moniz, Madeira. 02.jpg
File:Naturschwimmbecken zwischen Lavafelsen in Porto Moniz, Madeira. 04.jpg
File:Naturschwimmbecken zwischen Lavafelsen in Porto Moniz, Madeira. 12.jpg
Geography
Administratively, the four parishes of Porto Moniz include:
*
Achadas da Cruz - the smallest parish in population and area, sharing the highest parish definition with Ribeira da Janela;
* Porto Moniz - the largest parish by population (1668 inhabitants), it includes the settlement of Santa Maria Madalena and main settlement of Porto Moniz, which is located southeast of
Ponta do Tristão, which is the northernmost point on the island (at 332 m above sea level)
*
Ribeira da Janela
Ribeira da Janela is a civil parish () in the municipality of Porto Moniz in the Portuguese islands of Madeira. The population in 2011 was 228, in an area of 18.48 km2.Seixal
Seixal () is a Portugal, Portuguese city and municipality, located in the district of Setúbal District, Setúbal, in the metropolitan area of Lisbon region, Lisbon. Its population includes 184,269 inhabitants (2011), in an area of that includes ...
- the largest parish by area.
Culture
The main church,
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, was built in the 18th century.
References
External links
Photos of Porto Moniz
{{authority control
Towns in Portugal
Madeira Island
Municipalities of Madeira