Вила-ду-Корву: История и особенности самого маленького муниципалитета Азорских островов.

Vila do Corvo (ˈkoɾvu) is the smallest municipality in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, constituting the island of Corvo in its entirety. With a population of 430 in 2011, it is the least populated of the Portuguese municipalities, and the only Portuguese municipality, by law, without a civil parish (freguesia, the smallest administrative unit in Portugal). Its area is
Vila do Corvo has at times been incorrectly referred to as Vila Nova do Corvo. The village, the unique agglomeration on the island of Corvo, is constructed of small homes located along narrow roadways and alleys rising along the hills of the southern one third of the island. The coastal area of the village is dominated by the Corvo Aerodrome and ports linking the community to the outside world.

The history of the Azores is linked to non official exploration during the period of the late 13th century in maps, such as the Genoese Medici Atlas (1351). Although it did not specify an island of Corvo, the Medici Atlas did refer to an Insula Corvi Marini ('Island of the Marine Crow'), in a seven island archipelago. A later Mapa Catalão ('Catalan Map'), from Spain, referred to two islands of Corvo and Flores in 1375. During Portuguese 'official history' the Western Group was discovered during the navigator Diogo de Teive and his son's (João de Teive) 1452 return from the Banks of Newfoundland, after his second voyage of exploration. The Portuguese Court began to refer to the new Ilhas das Flores ('Islands of Flowers'), identifying Corvo as the Ilha de Santa Iria ('Island of Saint Irene'), but other nautical charts continued to refer to this island as the Ilhéu das Flores ('Islet or Island of Flowers'), Ilha da Estátua ('Island of the Statue'), Ilha do Farol ('Island of the Lighthouse') or Ilha de São Tomás ('Island of Saint Thomas'). The island was placed under the control of Diogo Teive, who became the first Captain Donatário. Following these successive failed attempts to settle the land, Gonçalo de Sousa (second Captain Donatário of the islands of Corvo and Flores) was authorized to send slaves (likely from the island of Santo Antão in the Cape Verde archipelago) to Flores and Corvo as farmers and cattlemen (November 12, 1548). of wheat), as well as the elimination of the annual payment of 80,000 réis. The Crown would then assume the indemnity of the Donatário. The tribute was completely abolished by 1835. On June 20, 1832, the Regent, Peter IV of Portugal, elevated the settlement of Corvo to the status of village and municipal seat.

The Vila do Corvo is implanted along the maritime coast of the island of Corvo, and represents the only inhabited settlement on the island.

The island celebrates annual celebrations marking the feast day of its patron saint, Our Lady of Miracles (Nossa Senhora dos Milagres), on August 15. The event is actually a week long religious celebration of prayer, with an evening candle light procession on the evening of August 14, before the events on August 15, which include a solemn mass. Connected with this celebration is the annual Festival dos Moinhos (literally, Festival of the Windmills), a secular musical event that attracts tourists and returning emigrants to the tiny island, featuring local and popular musical talent.