In Faja De Baixo, pineapple cultivation links memories of agriculture with greenhouse visits and a permanent exhibition. The Centro de Interpretação da Cultura do Ananás is located in the historic center of the parish and preserves the history of pineapple cultivation. A visit to the permanent exhibition is connected to local plantations. This means you encounter the subject in different ways: as part of the town’s history and as a crop whose growth stages can be observed in greenhouses.
Pineapples between greenhouses and history
Agriculture in Faja De Baixo evolved from winegrowing to orange groves and then to pineapple cultivation, which became an important local economic asset. The architectural heritage is also linked to the so-called “orange economy”: it includes mirantes, torreões, and the gateways of quintas. The architecture thus tells the story of another agricultural influence on the town, while pineapple cultivation now offers a distinct way to explore its history.
At Estufas de Ananases Santo AntĂłnio, visitors can observe the different stages of growth; tasting the pineapple fruit is also part of the visit. The greenhouses at Estufas de Ananases Boa Fruta also showcase the different stages. The facilities date from the 19th century and are considered the oldest pineapple greenhouses in the Azores. Both places focus on cultivation, but tasting is explicitly part of the visit at Santo AntĂłnio.
At Plantação de Ananases Augusto Arruda, visitors can learn about every stage of pineapple cultivation. The shop also offers the chance to taste pineapple liqueur, handcrafted using an old family recipe. The plantation opened to tourism in 1919. Here, the history of cultivation is combined with a close-up look at its individual growth stages and a local product.
Distinctive forms and sacred architecture
The Mirante da Fajã de Baixo is a prominent feature of the parish’s rural landscape. This unusual building is shaped like a pyramid with its top cut off, has a rectangular floor plan and two levels, and provides around 252.70 square meters of usable floor space. A decision published in 2021 classifies it as an “imóvel de interesse público,” or a building of public interest. Architecture, landscape, and heritage protection come together here at a specific landmark.
The Igreja Paroquial de Nossa Senhora dos Anjos is also a prominent historic building: it was built in 1791 in the Baroque style. Its façade is divided into three sections and features elaborate basalt stonework. Its construction date, style, and stonework give the church a distinct architectural profile.
The Rota Arquitetura Religiosa Fajã de Baixo is a route through sacred sites and places of worship in the parish. Chapels with well-documented histories include the Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, originally built in 1688. The Ermida de Nossa Senhora do Loreto was built in 1699; its façade was reconstructed in 1820. The Ermida de Nossa Senhora de Santa Rita was originally built in 1765 and is classified as an “imóvel de interesse municipal,” or a building of municipal interest. The Ermida de Nossa Senhora de Lurdes is a 19th-century Neo-Gothic chapel. The timeline thus spans early foundations through to a later Neo-Gothic style.
The Loreto Chapel is also associated with a religious tradition: on Easter Monday, a pilgrimage is held in honor of Nossa Senhora da Boa Nova. The town’s history is also connected with the writer Natália Correia. She was born and lived in the house, which was converted into a social and cultural center for Casa do Povo de Fajã de Baixo.
Practical information
Directions to the Centro de Interpretação da Cultura do Ananás take you along Rua das Laranjeiras and Rua Direita da Fajã. Pineapple culture offers a concrete way to explore the parish’s agricultural history. If you want to plan your stay around your own interests, you’ll find several subjects side by side in the town: agricultural history, greenhouses, sacred architecture, and local heritage.
About the town: Faja De Baixo. Discover more destinations: Calheta De Nesquim, Faial, Corvo, S.Miguel, Terceira, Graciosa, Santa Maria.
Return to the main travel overview: Azores.
