Portão do Mar

Currently, it is possible to observe some parts of the old village’s wall, in stone masonry plastered and painted white, with decorative elements in stonework on display. Similarly to the gates of Ponta Delgada and Angra do Heroísmo, in the Velas’ pier there is a “Sea Gate”, with an inscription which reads “1799” over a royal coat-of-arms, possibly allusive to its construction.

This wall was built due to the need to fortify the village, suggested by Marcos Fernando de Teive in 1618, and the need to protect it against environmental incidents and attacks of pirates explain its great maintenance efforts.