Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Capelinhos Volcano - Portugal

In 2016 I traveled to the Azores archipelago and on my flight back to Lisbon I had a layover on Fail Island. I stayed there for a couple of hours and felt tempted to visit the Capelinhos Volcano. I'm sure I'd love to go there but I was afraid a couple hours wouldn't be enough to visit the place, I know I always take too much time taking pictures, and I couldn't risk missing the flight to Lisbon. I know I'll visit it sooner or later.
These cards were sent by Emerich and Lurdes. 

Inserted on the Capelo volcanic complex, on the Ponta dos Capelinhos, this was the last volcano with eruption, in 1957, which consequences are still visible, being one of them the increasing of the own territory in about 2,50km2, with the lava solidification that got above the sea level,
This landscape is different from all the rest of the Island and of the Archipelago: this is a strange arid and volcanic beauty which demonstrates the great power of nature.


This Volcano was unique in the world of the Volcano Sciences, as it was photographed, observed, studied and interpreted since its very beginning until its inactivity. The volcano maintained its activity for 13 months, starting on the 27th September 1957 and extinguishing only on the 24th October 1958, in what is supposed to have been a superposing of two distinct eruptions, occurring more than 200 earthquakes before the volcano started its erupting.

Fotografia © Maurício Abreu
This fact caused great harm for the Island’s development, leading to mass emigration in this and the thereafter periods, mainly in the Capelo and Praia do Norte regions, where agricultural and pasture fields and residences were destroyed. The majority of population emigrated mostly for the United States of America, due to a refugee cooperation protocol.


From the Capelinhos Lighthouse, where the volcanic eruption started, one has an excellent panorama over all the volcano extension and its rare beauty. Here stands nowadays the Interpretation Centre that better explains this phenomenon and its history, housing a wide room that symbolises a volcanic eruption, as well as other amenities with permanent and temporary exhibitions about volcanism, and also an auditorium with a capacity for 60 people.
The volcano climbing is one of the most astonishing and unique tours in the Faial Island, presenting nevertheless some dangers and difficulties, hence there are some predefined itineraries and also official guide service." - in
: http://www.getportugal.com/portugal/poi/18842/47/vulcao-dos-capelinhos

No comments: