Angra do Heroismo, Azores, Portugal. World Heritage City: An invitation to Cultural Tourism

The city of Angra, whose name derives from the small cove that serves as its port, is the oldest one in the Azores Archipelago, Portugal. It is located on the southern coast of Terceira Island and has this category by letter of D. Joao III of 21st August 1534. From the beginning, the importance of its port for the Atlantic navigation and as a scale of the designated India's Career led chronicler Gaspar Frutuoso, by the end of the 16th century, to call it the 'Western Ocean Sea Scale'. Alongside a significant role in the Atlantic History, the city also played an active part in the History of Portugal. On January 1st, 1980 it was shaken by a violent earthquake. In the process of reconstruction, the strict orthogonal layout of the streets was maintained, and the richness of its buildings was preserved. Recognizing the value of the architectural complex of this historic city center and its site as very relevant to the History of European empires, in 1984 UNESCO classified Angra do Heroismo as a World Heritage City. Given this classification, it intended, with this work, to contribute to the knowledge of the city, not only for its historical-heritage significance, but also as a destination for Cultural Tourism, which is desirable to develop, in the Azores, as a complement of Nature Tourism.