The Heritage sites of the Azores, a sub-section of the Portuguese National Monuments, date back to the early discovery and settlement of the islands of the Azores. Through successive historical events the archipelago of the Azores, has witnessed several phases of construction associated with defensive structures, homes and places of worship to suit their requirements and means. The formal organization of the Portuguese state resulted in a process to qualify and quantify those structures that have had an intrinsic value to the Portuguese culture.

Starting with the Direcção Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais (DGMEN), and later by the Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico (IGESPAR), the Portuguese government developed a registry of national monuments that includes a rich heritage of historical patrimony throughout the country. Following the implementation of a Autonomy Statute (which was also implemented in Madeira), the designation and protection of regional patrimony was transferred to the responsibility of the Secretaria de Cultura (Secretariate for Cultura).

This is a compilation of those structures that are designated as National Monuments ( Portuguese: Monumentos Nacionais) or Property of Public Interest ( Portuguese: Imóveis de Interesse Público), of a regional nature.

History

With the rise of the Portuguese state after the beginning of the Age of Discovery, Portuguese architecture expanded under the patronage of the wealthy kings, nobility, powerful clergy and through the many battles with rivals such as Castile, the French and Dutch. The settlement and growth of Portuguese settlements in the Azores, by mainly poor rural settlers and second-tier nobility resulted in a simple patrimony consisting of small bungalow-like homes, two-storey dwellings with mixed house-and-barn or semi-palatial houses and manors. In addition, the administrative and religious functions constructed semi-ornate structures to govern their political or spiritual functions, resulting in grande palaces, municipal halls, impérios, convents and churches, while along many of the settlements of these islands, there were wayside shrines, crosses and pillories. Although many of the prominent buildings were destroyed, rebuilt, re-purposed and closed on the whims of the monarchy, the islands were also affected by natural calamities that spared little of the original structures.

Monuments

While the Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico (IGESPAR) (Institute for the Management of Architectural and Archaeological Heritage), has been responsible for classifying and promoting the restoration of these national treasures, with the autonomy of the islands of Madeira and the Azores in 1975, these responsibilities have been transferred to the regional authority, and in particular the Direcção Regional de Cultura (General-Directorate for Culture).

Owing to its relative value and importance, the cultural property may be listed as or national, public or municipal interest. ^[1] In addition, these definitions are also defined in terms of being monuments, groups of buildings or sites, based on existing international conventions. IGESPAR regularly proposes the listing of new assets based on its mission to safeguard national heritage. As time goes by, a wide variety of new buildings and groups of structures of varying typologies have been added to the national register of monuments, such modernist architecture, vernacular landscapes, archaeological sites, monastic buildings/structures, historical gardens, and more recently human-built business and industrial establishments. ^[1]

The listing process follows a strict procedure defined by Decree-Law no. 309/2009 (23 October 2009), which entered into force in January 2010. ^[1]

IGESPAR also monitors and participates in the UNESCO registry of World Heritage Sites as a member state: there are 13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in territory of Portugal. ^[2] Similarly, eleven assets in the UNESCO world heritage list of 878 sites were former Portuguese possessions at one time, spread across three continents (Africa, America and Asia) associated with period of Portuguese Discoveries. ^[3]

In the following list patrimony preceded by an Azorean flag, are considered property, landmarks or monuments with patrimonial interest in the Azores:

Civic

Corvo

Faial

Flores

Graciosa

Pico

Santa Maria

São Jorge

São Miguel

Terceira

Military

Corvo

Faial

Flores

Graciosa

Pico

Santa Maria

São Jorge

São Miguel

Terceira

Religious

Corvo

Faial

Flores

Graciosa

Pico

Santa Maria

São Jorge

São Miguel

Terceira

References

Notes

External links

• IGESPAR Official Site
• IGESPAR Built Heritage search
• IGESPAR Archaeological Sites search
• SIPA Architectural database search