Vila do Corvo | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Vila do Corvo, as seen from Portão lookout, includingAerodrome and settlement | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Location of the municipality of Corvo in the archipelago of the Azores | |
| Coordinates:39°40′22″N31°6′52″W / 39.67278°N 31.11444°W /39.67278; -31.11444 | |
| Country |  Portugal |
| Auton. region | Azores |
| Island | Corvo |
| Established | Settlement: c. 1475–1503 Parish: c. 1674 Town/Municipality: June 20, 1832 |
| Seat | Vila do Corvo Municipal Chamber |
| Government | |
| • President | Manuel das Pedras Rita |
| Area | |
• Total | 17.11 km2 (6.61 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 36 m (118 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 430 |
| • Density | 25/km2 (65/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−01:00 (AZOT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+00:00 (AZOST) |
| Postal code | 9980-024 |
| Area code | (+351) 292 XX XX XX |
| Patron | Nossa Senhora dos Milagres |
| Local holiday | June 20 |
| Website | http://www.cm-corvo.pt |
Vila do Corvo (Portuguese pronunciation:[ˈkoɾvu]ⓘ) is the smallest municipality in the Portuguesearchipelago of theAzores, constituting the island ofCorvo in its entirety. With a population of 430 in 2011,[1] it is the least populated of the Portuguese municipalities, and the only Portuguese municipality, by law, without a civil parish (freguesia, the smallest administrative unit in Portugal). Its area is 17.11 square kilometres (6.61 sq mi).[2]
Vila do Corvo has at times been incorrectly referred to asVila Nova do Corvo. The village, the unique agglomeration on the island of Corvo, is constructed of small homes located along narrow roadways and alleys rising along the hills of the southern one-third of the island. The coastal area of the village is dominated by theCorvo Aerodrome and ports linking the community to the outside world.
Despite thediscovery of Carthaginian coins and the possible presence of apre-Portuguese statue on Corvo,[3][4] the current historical consensus is that the history of the Azores begins with non-official exploration during the period of the late 13th century in maps, such as theGenoese Medici Atlas (1351). Although it did not specify an island of Corvo, the Medici Atlas did refer to anInsula Corvi Marini ('Island of the Marine Crow'), in a seven-island archipelago. A laterMapa Catalão ('Catalan Map'), from Spain, referred to two islands of Corvo andFlores in 1375.
During Portuguese 'official history' the Western Group was discovered during the navigatorDiogo de Teive and his son's (João de Teive) 1452 return from the Banks ofNewfoundland, after his second voyage of exploration.[5][6] The Portuguese Court began to refer to the newIlhas das Flores ('Islands of Flowers'), identifying Corvo as theIlha de Santa Iria ('Island of SaintIrene'), but other nautical charts continued to refer to this island as theIlhéu das Flores ('Islet or Island of Flowers'),Ilha da Estátua ('Island of the Statue'),Ilha do Farol ('Island of the Lighthouse') orIlha de São Tomás ('Island of Saint Thomas').[7] The island was placed under the control of Diogo Teive, who became the first Captain-Donatário.[6]
Regardless, it was only in the following year that KingAfonso V of Portugal "recognized" these new discoveries (January 20, 1453) and donated them to his uncle,Afonso,Duke of Braganza andCount of Barcelos.[5][6] The first proprietor showed little interest in settlement, sending only the obligatory cattle to settle the island and establish his legitimate possession.
Fernão Telles, the thirdCaptain-Donatário between 1475 and 1503, was the first to attempt to colonize Corvo (contracting with the Flemish entrepreneurWillem van der Haegen), but abandoned his settlement after a couple of years.[5][6] By 1507, the islands of both Corvo and Flores were identified by Valentim Fernandes as unpopulated.[5]Diogo das Chagas also referred to an initial settlement of 30 people, under contract of theTerceirenses Antão Vaz and Lopo Vaz de Azevedo (1508–1510), who had little success on Corvo; they eventually returned to Terceira in 1515, leaving António Silveira de Machado in charge. But the settlement did not persist.[5][8] Following these successive failed attempts to settle the land, Gonçalo de Sousa (second Captain-Donatário of the islands of Corvo and Flores) was authorized to send slaves (likely from the island ofSanto Antão in theCape Verde archipelago) to Flores and Corvo as farmers and cattlemen (November 12, 1548).[5]
In 1570, the building that would later become theChurch of Nossa Senhora dos Milagres was constructed.[6]
Around 1580, colonists from Flores arrived on Corvo, and a small self-sufficient, isolated settlement was formed. These Corvinos eked out a meagre existence, dedicating their venture to subsistence crops and grazing sheep and/or goats, along with fishing offshore. Commerce and trade primarily occurred across the channel, but weather conditions restricted maritime connections with the rest of the islands to between March and September. AsGaspar Frutuoso later indicated, by the end of the 16th century the population consisted of houses "...of 20 neighbours, renters and masters' blacks...certain slaves, and married mulattos with slaves...".[5]
Along with Flores, the island passed into the hands of Martinho de Mascarenhas in 1593. But the situation economically became aggravated and desperate: the annual payments to the seigneur increased;[10] the local population increased; the connection with the outside world reluctantly forced a level of self-sufficiency; it became impossible to increase the area under cultivation; and there were frequent incursions by English privateers, that marked the conflict during theIberian Union.[5]
Much like other Azorean communities in the late 16th century, piracy and privateering marked their local history, even as some locals collaborated with or befriended these raiders. In exchange for protection and payments, the islanders provided fresh water, provisions and men, as well as permitting the treatment of the sick and repairing vessels. But in 1587 Corvo was sacked by English privateers who had attackedLajes das Flores. Then, in 1632,Barbary coast pirates (from theOttoman Empire) twice attempted to disembark inPorto da Casa, which was only a small bay (and an area that was easily accessible to pirates). In one account, while the men were in the hills looking after their flocks and the women were in their homes, a large group of pirates arrived in the vicinity of the settlement. The pirates fired on the settlement, and were met by rocks thrown from the cliff-tops. During the battle, the local vicar carried his small image ofNossa Senhora do Rosário ('Our Lady of the Rosary') into the battle, and placed it along theCanada da Rocha. The statue had for many years been placed in the area ofPorto da Casa, but had been moved to the altar of the small chapel on the cliff. The battle was arduous, but 200 Corvinos were able to defeat the pirates, capturing many weapons, with no loss of life and while capturing a Moor. It is said that the victory was credited to the statue, which depicted the patron saint of Corvo, and had mysteriously deflected many of the pirates' rounds. The pirates retreated and did not return to the small island. Thereafter the statue became known as the statue ofNossa Senhora dos Milagres ('Our Lady of Miracles'). It was the second parish priest, theFlorentine Inácio Coelho (brother of theDiogo das Chagas), who was able to convince Martinho de Mascarenhas (the secondCaptain-Donatário) to assist the parish "in the name of theVirgin Mary". Today the statue is located in the parochial church.
The parish of Corvo was created in 1674: its first pastor was theFaialense Bartolomeu Tristão. Until this time the colony was annually visited by a priest fromSanta Cruz das Flores, sent by the Bishop ofAngra to tend to the isolated community.
In the 18th century, American whalers arrived in Flores to recruit crews andharpooners, and to re-provision their ships for their campaigns. Due to their experience, inhabitants from Corvo signed onto these crews, thus beginning a close relationship with theNew England community of North America that would continue into the 20th century (at times, this connection was more direct than its connection toLisbon). Consequently, clandestine emigration was a constant of life, and a problem for the repressive Portuguese authorities, who were preoccupied with defections from obligatory military service and reductions in the island's tribute. The settlers on Corvo were obliged to pay atithe to theirCaptains-Donatário, and after 1759 (with the death of the 8th Duke of Aveiro and Count of Santa Cruz), to the Crown.[6] During the Liberal Wars, a delegation from Corvo approached RegentPeter IV of Portugal to present the grave sentiments of the population and request that their payments be alleviated. Manuel Tomás de Avelar, chief of the Corvino delegation, traveled toAngra do Heroísmo to petition the liberal leadership of the Angra Regency. It wasMouzinho da Silveira who attempted to mitigate this servitude with a proposal to reduce the tithe payment (in wheat) and taxes, owing to the persistent poverty on the island. A decree was promulgated on May 14, 1832, byPeter IV and signed inPonta Delgada, which reduced the tithe paid to the Crown's Donatário (then Pedro José Caupers) in half (to 20moios [470 US bushels (17 m3)][9] of wheat), as well as the elimination of the annual payment of 80,000réis. The Crown would then assume the indemnity of theDonatário. The tribute was completely abolished by 1835.
On June 20, 1832, the Regent,Peter IV of Portugal, elevated the settlement of Corvo to the status of village and municipal seat.[6] Until this time, Corvo had been under the jurisdiction ofSanta Cruz das Flores as a civil parish of its neighbor across the channel. And after 1853, theforal (the town's royal charter) granted to the dual jurisdiction was extinguished, resulting in a liberal movement, where tenant farmers were able to raise their cattle and till their own lands, marking out a subsistence economy that supported porting ships.[6]
In 1886 the Civil Governor of theDistrict of Horta, Manuel Francisco de Medeiros, asked the inhabitants what they wanted on visiting the community. He was surprised by the humble request for a Portuguese national flag for the island. It came into use whenAlbert of Monaco visited the island during hisoceanographic and photographic expeditions. It was also visited in 1924 by the Portuguese writerRaul Brandão, who contributed to local myths and idyllic republican community with his workIlhas Desconhecidas.
From the beginning of the 19th and into the 20th century, emigration continued unabated, except for a period between 1925 and 1955, as more Corvinos left the island in search of economic security—a process that continued well into the 1980s. By 1938, the island received its first permanent medical resident, João Rodrigues Ferreira da Silva, who lived on the island until 1945, and for whom the only medical building was named.
On April 10, 1997, the urban nucleus of the village of Corvo consisted primarily of the old one and two-storey house/barns that populated the centre of the municipality and were classified as an 'architectural group of public interest' (Portuguese:Conjunto de Interesse Público) by the Regional Government of the Azores, supported byIGESPAR.[6]
Vila do Corvo has ahumid subtropical climate (Cfa) with warm summers and mild winters. Despite being at the same latitude, Vila do Corvo is on average 5 °C (9.0 °F) warmer thanLong Beach Island,New Jersey, mainly due to the effect of theGulf Stream.
| Climate data forCorvo Airport, 1971-1981 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 16.2 (61.2) | 15.8 (60.4) | 16.2 (61.2) | 17.0 (62.6) | 18.7 (65.7) | 21.0 (69.8) | 23.8 (74.8) | 25.0 (77.0) | 23.8 (74.8) | 21.0 (69.8) | 19.1 (66.4) | 17.2 (63.0) | 19.6 (67.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 14.3 (57.7) | 13.7 (56.7) | 14.1 (57.4) | 15.0 (59.0) | 16.6 (61.9) | 18.8 (65.8) | 21.4 (70.5) | 22.4 (72.3) | 21.5 (70.7) | 18.8 (65.8) | 17.1 (62.8) | 15.3 (59.5) | 17.4 (63.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 12.3 (54.1) | 11.7 (53.1) | 12.0 (53.6) | 13.0 (55.4) | 14.4 (57.9) | 16.6 (61.9) | 19.0 (66.2) | 19.9 (67.8) | 19.1 (66.4) | 16.7 (62.1) | 15.1 (59.2) | 13.4 (56.1) | 15.3 (59.5) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 118.3 (4.66) | 124.7 (4.91) | 95.1 (3.74) | 75.8 (2.98) | 61.6 (2.43) | 53.7 (2.11) | 59.0 (2.32) | 74.2 (2.92) | 89.1 (3.51) | 106.2 (4.18) | 124.6 (4.91) | 120.1 (4.73) | 1,102.4 (43.4) |
| Source:Instituto de Meteorologia[11] | |||||||||||||
The Vila do Corvo is implanted along the maritime coast of the island of Corvo, and represents the only inhabited settlement on the island.[6] With a perimeter of 17 kilometres (11 mi), the settlement is dominated by the sheer cliffs of the extinct volcanic crater of the Caldeirão, which extend 718 metres (2,356 ft) above sea level.[6] The urban area covers an incredibly small 6.5 metres (21 ft) by 3 metres (9.8 ft) on an ancient debris field in the south, along the cove of Nossa Senhora do Rosário.[6] The landscape north of the settlement is characterized by agricultural fields and pastureland, divided by stone walls.[6]
In the last part of the 19th century, a 9% drop in the population marked a period of emigration to the United States, generally associated with most of the archipelago. Yet continued emigration between Corvo and New England would mark the demographic oscillation during the 20th century, as well. There were four identifiable periods:[5]
In the last 14 years[as of?] that population has seen a 12.5% increase, which is attributed to the following factors:[5]
Generally, the inhabitants dedicate themselves to fishing, agriculture, or raising cattle. Most services on the island support these activities, as well as annual tourism.
Although the island is small, the municipal government constructed a small campsite in the area of Praia da Areia, with washrooms, barbecues and picnic tables in order to support annual eco-friendly visitors to the island.[12]
The centre of Vila do Corvo, situated in the eastern part of theRua da Matriz and characterized by a group of narrow roads, alleyways and a labyrinth of buildings, is the historic town.[13] The buildings are generally two-storey, south-facing, tile-roofed constructions. Some of these buildings continue to have spaces for pig-pens, corrals and annexes aligned to the alleyways.[13]
The island celebrates annual celebrations marking the feast day of its patron saint, Our Lady of Miracles (Portuguese:Nossa Senhora dos Milagres), on August 15.[21] The event is actually a week-long religious celebration of prayer, with an evening candle-light procession on the evening of August 14, before the events on August 15, which include a solemn mass.[21] Connected with this celebration is the annualFestival dos Moinhos (literally, Festival of the Windmills), a secular musical event that attracts tourists and returning emigrants to the tiny island, featuring local and popular musical talent.
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