![[Horta municipality]](../images/p/pt-hrt.gif)
Last modified: 2018-07-18 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: horta | coat of arms: bordure | coat of arms: quartered | quinas | crown: ducal | crest: arm | gauntlet | sword: flaming | bust | book | date: 1825.05.27 | plumb bob | castle (white) | goshawk (white) | d. luiz |
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2:3 image by Sérgio Horta, 15 Nov 2010
It is an atypical
portuguese municipal flag, with a historical coat of
arms centered on a background gyronny (meaning city
rank) of blue and white. Arms
granted in the early 19th cent. and flag recently modified
to reflect city status.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 11 June 2006
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The coat of arms is quartered with a mantel point with in the Ist
Portugal Ancien (modernized) and in the IInd
azure a bust of Peter IV of Portugal and in the IIIrd azure an open book argent
reading «29 de Abril 1826» azure and in IVth purpure a castle argent
with a goshawk of the same on it and in the Vth
per pale purpure and azure a
plumb bob or and bordure azure with «D. Luiz Iº à Muito Leal Cidade da
Horta» Or. Ducal crown or with four rubies, pearls and emeralds and for
crest an arm gauntleted argent holding a sword of the same.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 1 June 2006
The flag was recently modified to reflect
city status.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 1 June 2006
Horta municipality had 15 063 inhabitants in 2001, and it is
divided in 13 communes, covering 85,4 km². It is part of:
Azores Autonomous region, former
Horta District, traditional province,
NUTS I, NUTS II and NUTS III Açores.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 4 Feb 2007
Horta, by the way, means "vegetable garden" — the
coat of arms is not canting.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 15 Nov 2010
The urban communes are based on the parishes of the Most Holy Saviour (Santissimo Salvador / today: Matriz commune), Our Lady of Sorrows (Nossa Senhora de Angústias / today: Angústias commune) and Our Lady of Conception (Nossa Senhora de Conceição / today: Conceição commune ). Horta gained the rights of a town (vila) in 1498 by King Dom Manuel I, and was elevated to a city (cidade) in 1833.
The first settlement was established by the Flemish nobleman Josse van Huerter in 1467. In the 16th century Horta had been the target of Spanish and British raids. In 1597 an expedition of Sir Walter Raleigh and Robert Devereux Earl of Essex caused a lot of destruction. The city incl. all religious buildings was sacked and burned down. In 1643 Horta had more than 2500 inhabitants. The main business lines were whaling and the export of wheat and woad (indigo). Today Horta is the primary harbour of yachts before crossing the Atlantic.
Horta is also the seat of the Azores Regional Parliament.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 July 2018
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