GoGo
All UNESCO SitesPortugal

Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores

Angra do Heroísmo · Portugal

Background

World Heritage since
1983
Type of site
Cultural
Town founded
1478

Situated on one of the islands of the Azores, Angra was an obligatory port of call from the 15th century until the advent of the steamship in the 19th. UNESCO says the 400-year-old fortifications of São Sebastião and São João Baptista are unique examples of military architecture, and that the town, damaged by an earthquake in 1980, has been restored.

Founded in 1478 on Terceira, Angra was the most important city in the Azores, seat of its bishop and government, and served as the capital of Portugal during the Liberal Wars; Queen Maria II added 'do Heroísmo' for its citizens' defence against a Miguelist assault in 1829. Its name means inlet. Wikivoyage lists the 16th-century cathedral, the ruined Castle of Moinhos on its mill-dotted hill, the Convent of São Francisco and the Duke of Terceira Garden, and notes the municipality covers 60% of the island.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. 1450Jácome de Bruges is charged with settling Terceira
  2. 1478Angra is founded
  3. 16th c.The cathedral and the two fortresses are built
  4. 1829The town repels the Miguelists and earns its name
  5. 1980An earthquake damages the town
  6. 1983Inscribed as World Heritage

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    Fortress of São João Baptista
    One of the two great fortifications UNESCO names.
  2. 2
    Fortress of São Sebastião
    The other, guarding the bay.
  3. 3
    Cathedral
    The 16th-century Sé in the parish of the same name.
  4. 4
    Convent of São Francisco
    One of the largest churches in the Azores, with the Church of Our Lady of the Guide.
  5. 5
    Castle of Moinhos
    The 16th-century ruins on the hill of the mills.
  6. 6
    Duke of Terceira Garden
    The town garden.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

Lajes Airport
Wikivoyage: Lajes has flights within the Azores and from mainland Portugal and North America.
Minibus Loop
The urban circuit minibuses 147 and 148 serve the centre, every 15 minutes on weekdays, for a few cents.
A Day in Town
The listed centre is compact; the rest of the day can go to the island.
Pico Next
The Pico Island vineyards, another World Heritage site, are 109 km across the water.

Port of the Discoveries

Not yet in a GoGo guide

  1. 09:30
    Cathedral and the Old Streets90 min
    The 16th-century Sé and the grid of the centre.
  2. 11:15
    City Hall30 min
    The medieval council building.
  3. 14:00
    Fortress of São João Baptista90 min
    The great fortification on the bay.
  4. 16:00
    Duke of Terceira Garden1 hr
    The town garden.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: Jun–Nov.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Dec (110 mm), driest Jul (18 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
The Pico Island vineyard landscape is 109 km away, the only other World Heritage site in the Azores.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 206 · Wikipedia: Angra do Heroísmo · Wikivoyage: Angra do Heroísmo (CC BY-SA 4.0) · UNESCO listing