History" of Sao Vicente Madeira island

The municipality of San Vicente on its perimeter comprises the Parishes of São Vicente, Ponta Delgada and Boaventura.

This is a result of the changes in the century. XIX in the municipal structure of the island.

In 1744, with the creation of the new town and seat of the Municipality of San Vicente, places of Porto Moniz, Seixal, Ponta Delgada, Arc and St. George were on their jurisdiction.

The restructuring undertaken in 1835 led to the emergence of two new cities (Porto Moniz and Santana) so, St. Vincent was reduced in your area.But this was short lived. With the decree of December 10, 1867 and November 18, 1895, the County returned to the initial extent.

Then, from 1898, with the restoration of extinct municipalities, he returned to the current area.

With area of 78.70 km2, is one of the largest councils in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

According to the census of 1991, its population density is 97.78, which translates one of the lowest in Madeira.

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History of calheta MADEIRA ISLAND

Two different conditions are related to the origin of the name Calheta: the first reports the existence of a small bay that had the current name, the second is due to the fact that the village was a place where taxes on sugar and wood were collected .

Founded in 1430, the parish of Calheta is one of the oldest parishes of the island of Madeira, and was among the first to be exploited by the early settlers.

This was precisely the area chosen by Joao Goncalves Zarco, discoverer of Madeira to make a large donation of land to his son John D. and Goncalves da Camara Beatriz Gonçalves.

Calheta became a village 72 years after its establishment on 1 July 1502, by a charter signed by King D. Manuel I. House of nobles and knights, the region perpetual their names on the local toponymy: Doctor's and Loin Fillet of Atouguia.

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History of Ponta do sol Madeira island

Ponta do Sol ", stems from his geographical situation and the existence of a rounded shape on a rock, with veins branched and which resembles the sun: "a point where you see the sun, from birth until it gets".

The first settlers settled-if at Ponta do Sol in mid-1440 and due to its port and fertile land, has progressed so rapidly that even the parish was established in the third quarter of the fifteenth century. The kernel from which began the parish belonged to Rodriguez Enes, "the Lame", however, by its rapid and extensive development, attracted a considerable number of settlers from the mainland and even from abroad, that there had many lands of allotment, some of which stem from the major houses that have linked their headquarters in this city and remained till the present day.

At the foundation of economic prosperity achieved, was that soil fertility has always been used for so-called rich crops, and at the time of colonization, one of the most active centers of agricultural production, especially sugar cane, while the cultivation of cereals, namely, wheat, represent a significant income. To progress this village, and as has happened everywhere south of the island, which contributed, in addition to the Portuguese foreign elements, namely, English, Scandinavian, African and Moorish.

In the cultural and built heritage of the parish stress, the Church of invocation to Our Lady of Light, which was restored in the eighteenth century and still retains within it a small chapel of the fifteenth century, built by the early settlers of the parish in 1446: still, the chapel of the Holy Spirit, the sixteenth century, apart from other assets of equal value; also highlight the manors of Esmeraldas and Zinos.

How Attraction is to highlight the site of Paul da Serra, the home of John Dos Passos and the area of the pier.

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History of Ribeira brava Madeira island

The municipality of Ribeira Brava emerged in the twentieth century, May 6, 1914, from
breakdown of the parishes of Tabua, Serra d'Água, Ribeira Brava, the municipality of
Ponta do Sol and the parish of Belfry of the municipality of Câmara de Lobos
respectively. We are thus faced with the youngest administrative district
location of our island.

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History of Camara the lobos Madeira island

Câmara de Lobos is a picturesque village located within a city with the same name.
The name of this land of fishermen, whose main specialty of fishing for black scabbard fish, was so named due to the fact that, when the island was discovered, which took place in 1419, a large amount of sea lions (wolves seals) were seen in that creek, which still maintains the same configuration. Nowadays, these animals only come occasionally to the south coast of the island. However, a colony is still inhabits the Desert Islands (Desert Island).
Câmara de Lobos was the first place Zarco, the navigator who discovered the island, lived between 1420 and 1424.
Because of this, became the first settlement established in Madeira by Zarco himself. Câmara de Lobos became a parish in 1430.
The fist temple built in the island Was Our Lady of Pebble chapel, also called Capela dos Pescadores (Fishermen's Chapel).
On October 4, 1835, the village Câmara de Lobos city became head of the council, which also included the parishes of Câmara de Lobos, Nuns Valley and Belfry.
In 1486, the county Board of Lobos became part of the parish of Jardim da Serra. lost, however, the town of Bell, which became the municipality of Ribeira Brava.
On August 3, 1996, Câmara de Lobos was elevated to city level.
The parish is bounded on the east by Riverside Socorridos the north by the parish Strait and west of Fifth Major. The sea is to the south.
Câmara de Lobos, located near the capital of the island owes its fame to the fishermen, who, with their picturesque and distinctive boats - the xavelhas - color of the bay that opens to the sea. The original picture was immortalized by the picture that the former English Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, painted when he visited the island on January 8, 1950.
There is a gazebo, where the statesman painted the picture, presenting a very curious view of the bay, and the beaching site. The observatory was built in the early sixties and is located at the entrance of the city, those who arrive from the Regional Road (Highway regional) of Funchal.
However, Câmara de Lobos is much more than that.
Today, the historic heritage of the civil parish of Camara de Lobos includes the church of St. Sebastian, the chapels, WHERE Immaculate Conception stands out, the lime-kiln, the old saltpans, the bandstand, located in Republic Square, and the old convent of San Bernardino.

While walking through the city center would be advisable, the best way to see the peculiar configuration of the bay is going all the way to the Peak Tower, taking the regional road connecting the city to the nearest village in the municipality: the Strait House Lobos.
At the heart of the House of Wolves there are bars and renowned restaurants where you can sample typical drinks like Poncha Câmara de Lobos and nibble some she-cat, a fish caught in the seas of the Madeira and left to dry in place. As such sometimes in a particular area by ancient salt, into the city, you can smell an intense aroma derived from the drying process.
Further, between the village Câmara de Lobos and Quinta Grande, lies the Cape Girão, where there is a gazebo. It's more than 580 meters tall and is the largest cable across Europe and the second highest in the world. A place, no doubt, not to be missed.
Câmara de Lobos is a very pleasant climate, with one of the best microclimates in Madeira Island, without significant changes in temperature throughout the year.
San Sebastian is the patron saint of this parish, whose feast is celebrated in Portugal on March 20.
Account History shows that the first settlers, where people of noble origin, of whom John Alfonso Zarco mate John Caldeira and can be identified.
Today, the economic activities of the parish are fishing, agriculture (bananas), trade, services and industry.
Worth mentioning is the fact-That, on the riverbed of the Ribeira Socorridos, Was built an Industrial Estate, Park West Industrial Zone (PIZO), where some of the most important regional Were established companies, such as Madeira Electricity (Electricity Company) and Beer Company (beer company).


The county was created in 1835 and the village was raised to city status on August 2 of 1996.

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