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São Jorge – the island of the Fajãs

São Jorge, another island of the central group, has a strange oblong shape (58 km long and only 8 km wide), evoking the shield of an enormous, motionless sea monster. With a surface of 248 sq. km – of which more than half lies above 300 m – is São Jorge the fourth largest island of the archipelago, located about 19 km from Pico, 39 km from Faial, 60 km from Graciosa, 93 km from Terceira and 245 km from São Miguel. The island is characterized by a central backbone, stretching in form of a wide high plateau over 45 km across the island, averaging heights of about 800 m and culminating in the island’s highest peak, the Pico da Esperança (1053 m), which can more or less be considered the geological centre of the island. Featuring a row of volcanic peaks lined up one after another, this striking green plateau is a paradise for keen walkers who are rewarded with magnificent panoramic views across countless pastures, neatly separated by hedges of hydrangeas and tree-heather, down to idyllic fajãs (flat forelands at sea level) and coastal villages, as far as the surrounding islands of Pico, Faial and Graciosa. On clear days, even the outlines of Terceira can be seen. The highest part of this plateau, extending westwards from Pico do Areeiro to Pico das Caldeirinhas, passing the peaks of Esperança and Carvão, is covered with endemic vegetation of great botanical value, therefore several natural forest reserves have been created in this area.

The island’s indented coastline features mostly steep tree-topped cliffs, precipitating several hundred meters down into the ocean, the most impressive of which can be found along the north coast, where they can reach heights of up to 480 m.

Even if almost all Azores Islands have fajãs (flat forelands that formed by lava flowing into the ocean and landslides and collapsing cliffs), São Jorge is undoubtedly the island that has the most. There are in total 46, the majority of which – about two thirds – are located on the north coast and the rest on the south coast. It was also the fajãs, which made the island’s steep coasts at all accessible and when settling started on a larger scale in the second half of the 15th century, it was here where farming set off due to the fertile land, initially with the cultivation of wheat, pastel and archil, all mainstays of the island’s economy during the first centuries after its discovery.

With the time most of the fajãs have been converted into fertile orchards and fields, where yams, maize, vegetables and vines are cultivated. Due to a very advantageous microclimate, in some of the fajãs coffee, bananas and other tropical fruits are grown and even some surprising specimens of the rare dragon tree can be seen here and there. After the devastating earthquake of 1980, most of the fajãs were abandoned and only the safest and best accessible ones are still inhabited. Deserving a visit because of their rare natural beauty, today, the most interesting are Fajã da Caldeira do Santo Cristo, a protected nature reserve with an underground cave and a lake and famous for its delicious clams, which can be found in the area, the tropical Fajã das Almas, where also bathing is possible, the Fajã dos Cubres with its crystalline lake, Fajã do Ouvidor and the Fajã do Alem, Fajã do João Dias, just to name a few of the most spectacular.

Also characteristic for São Jorge’s coastline are the many tiny settlements dug at the foot of the steep, green-covered cliffs, often enhanced by waterfalls occurring on all levels. Some of these mostly remote settlements are still inhabited and can only be reached on difficult zigzagging paths, which are also used by keen walkers who love a bit of challenge on their hikes.

São Jorge’s history has always been closely linked with that of the other islands of the central group, Terceira, Pico and Faial – but the island has never played an important role politically. Before settlement at Topo on the eastern tip had set off on a larger scale, with the Flemish nobleman Wilhelm van der Haegen’s – who went down in the island’s history as Guilherme da Silveira – arrival, some fajãs were already inhabited and Velas was already founded. While Topo became the centre of the eastern part of the island, Velas developed into its western counterpart, due to its protected natural harbour, and still counts for the island’s main town today.

Map of São Jorge
Map of São Jorge
Fajã dos Cubres
Fajã dos Cubres
Magnificient coastal views
Magnificient coastal views

São Jorge surrendered to the Spanish crown only after Terceira’s fall in 1583, but the Spaniards were not interested in developing the island due to its limited ports and low economic importance. On the contrary, the island was exploited and subjected to special taxes and left to isolation. Yet, the island’s inhabitants did not resign, took things in their own hands and started building churches, chapels and forts to protect their shores. In the following centuries prosperous periods alternated with disastrous periods, due to bad crops and nature catastrophes, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tornados in the years 1580, 1757, 1808 and 1899, bringing about food shortages and hunger. In 1850, the vines were destroyed by the phylloxera and in 1860, when the orange exports had started to bring some wealth to the island, a mycosis devastated the orange plantations. With all these catastrophes, many islanders gave up the struggle and immigrated to the US, Canada and Brazil in search of a better life.

Today, São Jorge counts nearly 10,000 inhabitants, most of which live on the south coast concentrating in the districts of Velas, Calheta and Topo. The investment into the development of the main ports Velas and Calheta and in the building of an inter-island airport helped to open new horizons of progress and prosperity. In order to achieve this, São Jorge is still relying on its natural resources and an ultimate exploitation of its livestock raising industry, resulting in a prosperous dairy industry, with the cheese production leading the top of the island’s income. The famous São Jorge cheese is exported all over the world.

Still showing only little tourism development and boasting plenty of unspoilt landscapes offering splendid panoramic views from many natural belvederes, the island of São Jorge is a true paradise for nature lovers and walkers, with a large variety of attractive walks of different difficulty degrees… São Jorge has probably the most beautiful walks of the whole archipelago!
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