Plateaux
Original title: Planaltos
Entry on Madeira's few upland plateaux, quoting a Portuguese dictionary that names four: Santo da Serra, Achada de Santa Ana, Paul da Serra and Achadas da Cruz.
Plateaux, or plains lying on mountain heights, cannot be numerous or extensive, given the relatively small area of this island and the extraordinarily rugged terrain that makes up almost its entire extent. From the Diccionario Universal Portuguez Ilustrado we transcribe: ‘This island has four principal plateaux:
- that of Santo António da Serra, or, popularly, Santo da Serra, which contains a lake, in the municipality (concelho) of Machico
- that of Achada de Santa Ana, in the municipality of that name
- that of the Paul da Serra, or simply the Paul, which is the largest, on the boundaries of the municipalities of São Vicente, Ponta do Sol and Porto Moniz
- and lastly the plateau of Achadas da Cruz, or merely the Achadas, in the municipality of Porto Moniz, which is the smallest: the lake looks like an extinct crater; it measures 66 metres in diameter and 40 in depth. There are very beautiful meadows in the municipality’.
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Place
Places mentioned · 09- Planaltos · Subject
Machico
This entry concerns Madeira's few upland plateaux. It quotes a Portuguese dictionary that names four of them: Santo da Serra, Achada de Santa Ana, Paul da Serra and Achadas da Cruz.
- Achada de Santana
Santana. Plateau in the municipality of Santana.
Achada de Santana is a small flat in the municipality of Santana. It is commonly called a plateau.
- Achadas da Cruz
Porto Moniz. Smallest plateau, with a crater-like lagoon 66 m across.
Achadas da Cruz is a small parish in the far north-west of Madeira, in the municipality of Porto Moniz; it grew from a sixteenth-century chapel and became an independent parish in 1848. It was transferred between municipalities several times: to Porto Moniz in 1835, briefly to Calheta in 1849–55, and to Calheta again when Porto Moniz was abolished in 1895. Its flat is the smallest plateau, with a crater-like lagoon 66 m across; free-ranging cattle and Euphorbia mellifera are found there. Other records include the benefactor Manuel de Pontes Câmara and the wreck of the yacht Varuna in 1909.
- Machico
Municipality containing Santo da Serra.
Machico is a town and municipality of Madeira set in a valley. The Elucidário traces its municipal history from its probable creation around 1451, through the loss of territory to Santa Cruz, São Vicente and Santana. It also records its arms, its privileges and its new town hall of 1929.
- Paul da Serra
Ponta do Sol. Largest plateau, on the borders of São Vicente, Ponta do Sol and Porto Moniz.
The Paul da Serra is the only extensive plateau on Madeira, lying at about 1,500 m across four municipalities, where temperatures can fall to freezing. The Rabaçal and Risco springs, the Ribeira da Tabua and the Ribeira da Janela rise at its edges, and it feeds the main levadas. The Elucidário records its vegetation, agricultural trials, shelter houses, sheep-shearing gatherings, common-land use and an unfinished road project.
- Ponta do Sol
Borders the Paul da Serra.
South-coast parish and municipality, settled from about 1440 by Rodrigo Enes 'o Coxo'. Its parish church of Nossa Senhora da Luz holds a triptych. The Elucidário also records its quay of 1848, paid for by the council, and the royal visit of 1858.
- Porto Moniz
Borders the Paul da Serra and contains Achadas da Cruz.
North-western parish and municipality with a quay and a tolerable port that serves as a good landing when southerly winds close the south coast. It has one of the oldest Magdalene chapels in northern Madeira, whose feast falls on 22 July. It was the birthplace of Dr Manuel Gomes Jardim.
- Santo António da Serra
Machico. One of the four principal plateaux, with a lagoon.
An upland parish on a plateau above Santa Cruz and Machico, divided between those two municipalities. The Elucidário covers its settlement, church and Protestant troubles, and the short-lived Aldeia da Rainha colony of Porto Santo settlers. It also records its quintas, its lagoon, Burnay's dairy factory and the exile of a bishop there.
- São Vicente
Borders the Paul da Serra.
São Vicente is described as the largest and most populous parish of northern Madeira and the seat of the only town on the north coast. The Elucidário covers its settlement, church history, localities and landscape, and the deadly landslide of 1929.