Angra do Heroísmo

Angra do Heroísmo is the largest city on Terceira and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We felt that our trip to the island wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t spend some time here, especially since we are staying in a house only a 15 minute drive away.

We parked at the base of Monte Brasil and walked along the shore, past the marina and beach area. People were jogging, sunning, swimming and kayaking as it was a beautiful sunny day. We could see the three forts and the wall around the base of the mountain. This town has a big history.

The walk through the cobblestone streets of the city’s historic downtown area was pleasant. (Earlier we had tried to drive through the city and it wasn’t very pleasant as the streets are very narrow and we kept going the wrong way on the one way streets!)

We admired the beautiful architecture and got a sense of what the city was like when it was founded in the 15th century.

The cathedral, built in the 17th Century, had extensive damage after the 1980 earthquake. Even as restoration work was going on in 1983, one of the bell-towers was destroyed. Two years later, in 1985, a fire destroyed the gilded carpentry of the altars, the organs and the framed ceiling decorations. These catastrophes resulted in a large loss of Baroque artifacts. But the cathedral has been restored since then and continues to be important to the community.

We stopped for a little rest in a well-kept Duke of Terceira Garden. This pretty garden has plants that were transported to Terceira from all over the world.

Next door and situated in a former Franciscan convent from the seventeenth century is the Angra Museum. Our host used to be the curator at this museum.

The building, that has gone through several uses, also houses the church of St. Francis, known as the Church of Our Lady of Guia, which is a beautiful example of religious architecture of the eighteenth century. It has lovely woodwork on its ceilings, altarpieces and altar. Portuguese tiles decorate its walls.

The museum has a bit of everything from cars to ceramics, as well as weapons, medals, coins, navigational instruments, sculptures, paintings, furniture and porcelain, etc.

We especially liked watching a 15 minute 1928 documentary showing life in Angra. The film makers lived and worked in Angra and used ragtime music. We recognized many of the places in the film.

It’s a pretty city and we are happy that we had the perfect day to go visit it. Tomorrow, we will leave Terceira and fly to Sao Miguel Island.Read more