Madre de Deus Manor

Manor of Madre de Deus (Solar da Madre de Deus)
Manor of the Mother of God
Manorhouse (Solar)
The location of the manorhouse in the foothills of the Angra do Heroísmo
Named for: Mother of God (Virgin Mary)

Country	Portugal
Autonomous Region	Azores
Group	Central
Island	Terceira
Municipality	Angra do Heroísmo

Location	Sé
- coordinates	38°39′27.40″N 27°13′27.96″W / 38.6576111°N 27.2244333°W / 38.6576111; -27.2244333Coordinates: 38°39′27.40″N 27°13′27.96″W / 38.6576111°N 27.2244333°W / 38.6576111; -27.2244333

Length	44.75 m (147 ft), Southwest-Northeast
Width	28.25 m (93 ft), Northwest-Southeast

Architects	unknown
Style	Baroque

Origin	17th century
Acquired by the State	1980s
Owner	Portuguese Republic

For public	Private
Visitation	Closed
Easiest access	Rua da Boavista, Rua da Madre de Deus

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Name	Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores
Year	1983 (#7)
Number	206
Region	Europe and North America
Criteria	iv, vi

Management	Direção Regional de Cultura
Operator	Câmara Municipal de Angra do Heroísmo
Status	Property of Public Interest Imóvel de Interesse Público
Listing	Regional Government Presidential Resolution 41/1980; JORAA, Série I (20), 11 June 1980; Included in the urban centre of the City of Angra do Heroísmo (PT071901160035)

Location of the former-convent in the municipality of Angra do Heroismo
Wikimedia Commons: Solar da Madre de Deus (Angra do Heroísmo)

Manor of Madre de Deus (Portuguese: Solar da Madre de Deus) is a former manorhouse, historic landmark and residence in the civil parish of Sé, in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

History

The main facade of the manorhouse of Madre de Deus

The left wing of the manor, showing the chapel/hermitage

The coat-of-arms of the Bettencourt family above the main doorway

The manor was constructed by the Majorat and Captain-major of Angra, João de Bettencourt de Vasconcelos, of the Bettencourt family, in the second-half of the 17th century, from a small residence whose principal facade was oriented towards the east (now the wall dividing the dining-room in the principal edifice).^[1]

João de Bettencourt de Vasconcelos, along with his brother-in-law, Captain-major Francisco Ornelas da Câmara (who presided over the local Military War Council) used this building in 1641 during their blockade of the fortress of São João Baptista, and carved-out trenches around the building in order to defend the site.^[1]

The small chapel at the site is dedicated to the invocation of Nossa Senhora da Madre de Deus (Our Lady the Mother of God) and was constructed in 1727, under the initiative of Vital de Bettencourt de Vasconcelos, the great-great grandson of João de Bettencourt.^[1] The following year, on 15 June, the Bishop of Angra, D. Manuel Álvares da Costa, passed a charter to establish a cult, owing to "the parameters necessary, bell-tower and doorway towards the road".^[1] This last detail implied that the hermitage was a public space, since the door was allows to be open to the those who wished to assist the religious services.^[1]

The old gate, that gave rise to the patio, the fountain and the entranceway were part of the elaborate changes made by the older owners. Over the main doorway is the coat-of-arms of the Bettencourt family.^[1]

The 1980 Azores earthquake caused serious damage to the internal structure of the building, demanding major repairs, consolidation of walls and restore of spaces.^[1] Yet, owing to the expense, the family sold the estate to the State, which was restored and requalified to serve as the cabinet of the Ministry of the Republic in the Azores.^[1]

The manor of Madre de Deus was classified as a Property of Public Interest by resolution 41/80 (11 June 1980), and included within the central zone of the historic centre of Angra do Heroísmo.^[1]^[2]

Architecture

An aspect of the sala nobre (noble hall)

The elegant wood table in the noble hall)

The interior of the chapel

The former manorhouse is situated within the limits of the historic centre of Angra do Heroísmo, and is the current official residence and district centre of the Republican representative to the Azores. It is an example of the larger manorhouses that were constructed in the 17th century, that supported a large rural estate (that extended to the north of the residence).^[1] This manor continued to be held by descendants until the 1980 Azores earthquake, when the former property-owners sold the building to the State.^[1]

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Noé, Paula (2012), SIPA, ed., Solar e Capela da Madre de Deus (IPA.00008162/PT071901100032) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 18 August 2015
↑ "Resolução 41/80, 11 de Junho, e artigo 10.º e alínea a) do artigo 57.º do Decreto Legislativo Regional n.º 29/2004/A, de 24 de Agosto", Regime jurídico de protecção e valorização do património cultural móvel e imóvel (PDF) (in Portuguese), 24 August 2004, p. 5684

Sources

Angra do Heroísmo: Janela do Atlântico entre a Europa e o Novo Mundo (in Portuguese), Horta (Faial), Portugal: Direcção Regional do Turismo dos Açores
Dias, Pedro (2008), Arte de Portugal no Mundo - Açores (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: Péblico - Comunicação Social S.A.

Angra do Heroísmo

Civil parishes	Altares Cinco Ribeiras Doze Ribeiras Feteira Nossa Senhora da Conceição Porto Judeu Posto Santo Raminho Ribeirinha Santa Bárbara Santa Luzia São Bartolomeu de Regatos São Bento São Mateus da Calheta São Pedro Sé Serreta Terra Chã Vila de São Sebastião

Natural landmarks	Algar do Carvão Bay of Angra Bay of Pontas Bay of Salga Bay of Refugo Cabras Islets Furna de Água Galerias da Feteira Gruta Brisa Azul Gruta das Agulhas Gruta das Cinco Ribeiras Gruta das Mercês Gruta do Zé Grande Gruta dos Ratões Lagoa do Negro Mata da Serreta Monte Brasil Parque de Campismo das Cinco Ribeiras Ponta do Queimado Porto das Cinco Ribeiras Prainha Serra da Ribeirinha Serra de Santa Bárbara Serra do Morião ou da Nasce Água Zona Balnear do Negrito

Man-made landmarks	Bettencourt Palace Cais da Alfândega Cais da Silveira Castle of Moinhos Cemetery of Anchors Church of São Mateus da Calheta Convent of São Gonçalo Duke of Terceira Garden Fort of the Açougue Fort of the Cavalas Fort of the Church of São Mateus da Calheta Fort of Greta Fort of Má Ferramenta Fort of the Maré Fort of Negrito Fort of Santo António do Monte Brasil Fort of São João Fort of São João Baptista Forte das Caninas Forte das Cinco Ribeiras Forte da Salga Forte de Santa Catarina das Mós Forte de Santo António Forte de São Fernando Forte de São Francisco Forte de São Sebastião Forte do Terreiro Forte do Zimbreiro Fortress of São Mateus da Calheta Reducto da Salga Miradouro da Amoreira Miradouro da Ponta do Queimado Miradouro da Serreta Miradouro das Veredas Miradouro do Pico das Cruzinhas Miradouro do Pico Matias Simão Municipal Palace/Hall of Angra do Heroísmo Parque Arqueológico Subaquático da Baía de Angra do Heroísmo Parque de Campismo das Cinco Ribeiras Parque Municipal do Relvão (Angra do Heroísmo) Porto das Cinco Ribeiras Redoubt of Dois Paus Redoubt of Três Paus Manor of Madre de Deus Sé Cathedral of Angra do Heroísmo

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