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Vila Nova do Corvo
Contrarily to what reflect the many decaying houses in the village centre, the people of Corvo are not poor. Statistically seen, they are even rich, boasting the highest income per head of all of Portugal. Yet, there are no perspectives for the young population, which continues to desert their home island, actually already with the age of 14 when they decide for a secondary school education. Subsequently, deserted houses are not renovated because nobody wants to live there anyway.
Vila Nova do Corvo, or simply ‘Corvo’, unites old and modern times in two distinct parts – the old centre and the new quarter, which starts at a roundabout that has to be passed on the road to the airport. Characteristic for the old part is a jumble of narrow pebbled alleys, called canadas, densely lined with traditional houses – many of them uninhabited – boasting black basalt façades with white-edged windows and often a small courtyard where pigs and poultry is kept. Very striking is almost the complete lack of any advertising on shops, café-bars, accommodations or restaurants. The only historic building is the Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Milagres, a one-naved churched from the end of the 18th century, located near the harbour. Only worthwhile mentioning in its interior is a small Flemish statue of Virgin Mary from 1632 that is highly worshipped as it allegedly saved once the inhabitants from a pirate raid. North of the church, at the Largo do Outeiro, is also the island’s only Holy-Ghost chapel.
The new part of the village extents towards the tiny inter-island airport in the west, where – behind the runway – stand three old, but working windmills, the island’s landmarks. They look very different to those on other islands of the archipelago because of their triangular wings, which, before electricity came to the island, were covered with canvas, reminding of those of the Moors on the mainland. At the western end of the runway lies the Portinho da Areia, a nice bathing venue with a small sand beach and a large natural swimming pool.
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