ÁGUA DE PENA
(Parish of Machico Municipality)
32°40′41″N 16°46′55″W
Água de Pena is a civil parish in the municipality of Machico on the south-east coast of the Portuguese island of Madeira. The population in 2011 was 2,434, in an area of 5.15 km².
Most of Água de Pena's coast is occupied by Madeira Airport.
History
The area of Água de Pena was first sighted by the crew and explorers with João Gonçalves Zarco after he disembarked along the coastal spillway of Machico, likely around July 1419; the escarpment of Penedo overlooks the beach of Machico, and the crew encamped in the shadow of the promontory overnight, before exploring the island the next day.
Geography
Penned in by the parishes of Santa Cruz and Machico, Água da Pena was limited to the north by Machico and Santo da Serra, to the south by Santa Cruz, east by the Atlantic Ocean, and west by Santa Cruz and Santo da Serra. It was originally divided between the municipalities of Santa Cruz and Machico: sections of Torre and Ventrecha (in Santa Cruz) and Bemposta, Lombo, Lugarinho, Igreja, and Queimada in (Machico), until 1989. Thereafter, the parish of Água de Pena became an independent civil parish of Machico, being de-annexed from portions of Torre and Ventrecha (which were incorporated into the parish of Santa Cruz).
It is approximately 2 kilometres from either villages of Santa Cruz and Machico (the central part of the parish is equidistant from both), while it is 20 kilometres from the regional capital, Funchal.
The lands in the parish are irrigated by levadas (English: manmade water transport canals), including the Levadas do Moinho da Serra (which come from Santa Cruz), Levada Nova (which is diverted from the Ribeira do Machico, and the Levada do Lugarinho (whose course flows south from the place of the same name).
Economy
Its primary sector, both figuratively and economically, continues to be the agricultural sector, and the regions historical connection to the cultivation of sugar cane. In addition, banana, potato and sweet potato are annually harvested from the fields of Água de Pena. The secondary sector, revolves around tertiary activities, such as civil construction, restaurateurs, bakery shops, hospitality and automobile sales/service (repair and sale).
Architecture
Civic
Miradouro Camões Pequeno (English: Camões Pequeno Belvedere);
Fonte do Seixo (English: Seixo Fountain/Spring.
Religious
Chapel of the Sagrado Coração de Jesus (English: Sacred Heart of Jesus) - located in the locality of Cardais;
Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Perpétuo Socorro (English: Our Lady of the Perpetual Help/Aid).
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