Hermitage of Nossa Senhora dos Anjos

The Hermitage of Nossa Senhora dos Anjos is a religious chapel on the north coast of Santa Maria Island, built with dry stone masonry and featuring a cantilever roof. Inside stands a 17th-century triptych alongside polychrome azulejo tiles with exotic birds and a local whitewood altar.

The chapel dates to 1439 and ranks among the earliest religious structures built during the initial Portuguese settlement of the Azores. It represents a crucial phase in the colonization of these islands and the establishment of Christian presence in the region.

The chapel is dedicated to the island's patron saint and features ornate azulejo tiles with exotic birds and a whitewood altar inside. These decorative elements reflect the island's maritime connections and how distant trade routes influenced local artistic choices.

The chapel can be reached on foot or by car from the village of Anjos and sits in a quiet location on the north coast. Visitors should prepare for changeable weather, as the coastal location brings sudden shifts in conditions throughout the day.

Records indicate that Christopher Columbus's crew attended Mass here in February 1493 during their return voyage from America. This encounter links this remote island chapel to one of history's pivotal moments of exploration.