256:
248:
221:
451:
411:
404:
41:
302:
basalt oxidization. There are also conical-shaped stalactites, secondary mineral deposits of silica and earthen deposits covering the walls and ceiling. Many of the stalagmites are 25 centimetres (9.8 in) long with long sections of superimposed, soda-straw, conical ring-type tubes with pitted pockets.
301:
Along the cavern walls are speleological structures such as lateral benches, lava bridges, branching galleries, lava balls, stalactites, stalagmites, columns, spongy lavas, glaze and tree moulds. Apart from several cracks, the walls and ceiling are multi-coloured (orange to yellowish) due to the
233:"Afar, a short way from the Fortress, going west, is a place called Ponta dos Algares, because there are two grottos with their opening, inside which there is a large underground path where rivers of lava seeming to have run in ancient times, not known nor seen."
370:
238:
Owing to its scientific, educational and touristic relevance, as well as its natural characteristics, the Gruta do Carvão was classified as a
Regional natural Monument by Regional Decree 4/2005/A on 11 May 2005.
278:
The largest lava tunnel on the island of São Miguel, the cave is located in the western edge of Ponta
Delgada and extends for 1,650 metres (5,410 ft). It is divided into three sections:
298:
is approximately 557 metres (1,827 ft) long, with an internal cavity that is at its maximum extent 6.4 metres (21 ft) high and 8 metres (26 ft) wide.
654:
392:
294:. Yet, older documents and field work suggest that the tube actually longer, and may reach a length of 5 kilometres (3.1 mi). The section at
71:
690:
366:(in Portuguese and English), Pico da Pedra (Ribeira Grande), Portugal: Amigos dos Açores/Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e do Mar
311:
685:
594:
385:
263:
The Gruta is situated in the parish of Santa Clara, in the northwest part of Ponta
Delgada and is integrated into the
197:
644:
255:
247:
220:
450:
579:
378:
675:
518:
461:
425:
440:
201:
54:
680:
649:
486:
435:
610:
589:
615:
564:
559:
554:
491:
669:
574:
539:
503:
513:
471:
569:
534:
481:
168:
164:
40:
639:
584:
86:
73:
549:
193:
185:
122:
631:
544:
476:
403:
205:
189:
415:
410:
209:
126:
58:
228:
Gaspar
Frutuoso, the 16th century chronicler and historian wrote:
219:
374:
271:), to the northwest of water reservoirs of SMAS, along
629:
603:
527:
500:
458:
422:
160:
152:
140:
132:
118:
110:
102:
65:
50:
18:
224:Visitors within the accessible area of the grotto
259:Brownish stalagmites on the ceiling of the cave
45:A view of the visit area of the Gruta do Carvão
655:Hydrothermal vents and seamounts of the Azores
386:
265:Monumento Natural Regional da Gruta do Carvão
8:
269:Regional Natural Monument of Gruta do Carvão
393:
379:
371:
15:
254:
246:
327:
345:
343:
341:
339:
337:
335:
333:
331:
7:
14:
449:
409:
402:
188:located on the outskirts of the
39:
416:Autonomous Region of the Azores
251:The lateral walls of the grotto
1:
604:Caves and geological features
312:Protected areas of the Azores
156:Tours are available in season
25:Monumento Natural Regional da
595:List of Islets in the Azores
106:1,650 metres (5,410 ft)
31:Regional Natural Monument of
691:Protected areas of Portugal
364:Gruta do Carvão/Cave M.N.R.
707:
447:
192:of Ponta Delgada (in the
38:
23:
349:Amigos dos Açores (2015)
114:6.4 metres (21 ft)
87:37.748167°N 25.687056°W
645:D. João de Castro Bank
260:
252:
225:
258:
250:
223:
92:37.748167; -25.687056
686:Caves of the Azores
650:Princess Alice Bank
284:Secadores de Tabaco
208:archipelago of the
200:) on the island of
83: /
261:
253:
226:
663:
662:
630:Reefs, banks and
501:Grupo Ocidental (
362:AdA, ed. (2015),
174:
173:
698:
616:Gruta das Torres
453:
423:Grupo Oriental (
414:
413:
407:
406:
395:
388:
381:
372:
367:
350:
347:
292:Rua João do Rego
184:) is an ancient
111:Height variation
98:
97:
95:
94:
93:
88:
84:
81:
80:
79:
76:
43:
16:
706:
705:
701:
700:
699:
697:
696:
695:
666:
665:
664:
659:
640:Dollabarat Reef
625:
621:Gruta do Carvão
611:Algar do Carvão
599:
523:
496:
459:Grupo Central (
454:
445:
418:
408:
401:
399:
361:
358:
353:
348:
329:
325:
320:
308:
245:
218:
178:Gruta do Carvão
142:
91:
89:
85:
82:
77:
74:
72:
70:
69:
46:
33:Gruta do Carvão
32:
29:
27:Gruta do Carvão
26:
19:Gruta do Carvão
12:
11:
5:
704:
702:
694:
693:
688:
683:
678:
668:
667:
661:
660:
658:
657:
652:
647:
642:
636:
634:
627:
626:
624:
623:
618:
613:
607:
605:
601:
600:
598:
597:
592:
587:
582:
577:
572:
567:
562:
557:
552:
547:
542:
537:
531:
529:
525:
524:
522:
521:
516:
510:
508:
498:
497:
495:
494:
489:
484:
479:
474:
468:
466:
456:
455:
448:
446:
444:
443:
438:
432:
430:
420:
419:
400:
398:
397:
390:
383:
375:
369:
368:
357:
354:
352:
351:
326:
324:
321:
319:
316:
315:
314:
307:
304:
244:
241:
236:
235:
217:
214:
182:Grotto of Coal
172:
171:
162:
158:
157:
154:
150:
149:
144:
138:
137:
134:
130:
129:
120:
116:
115:
112:
108:
107:
104:
100:
99:
67:
63:
62:
52:
48:
47:
44:
36:
35:
21:
20:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
703:
692:
689:
687:
684:
682:
679:
677:
676:Ponta Delgada
674:
673:
671:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
641:
638:
637:
635:
633:
628:
622:
619:
617:
614:
612:
609:
608:
606:
602:
596:
593:
591:
588:
586:
583:
581:
578:
576:
573:
571:
568:
566:
563:
561:
558:
556:
553:
551:
548:
546:
543:
541:
538:
536:
533:
532:
530:
526:
520:
517:
515:
512:
511:
509:
506:
505:
504:Western Group
499:
493:
490:
488:
485:
483:
480:
478:
475:
473:
470:
469:
467:
464:
463:
462:Central Group
457:
452:
442:
439:
437:
434:
433:
431:
428:
427:
426:Eastern Group
421:
417:
412:
405:
396:
391:
389:
384:
382:
377:
376:
373:
365:
360:
359:
355:
346:
344:
342:
340:
338:
336:
334:
332:
328:
322:
317:
313:
310:
309:
305:
303:
299:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
280:Rua de Lisboa
276:
274:
270:
266:
257:
249:
242:
240:
234:
231:
230:
229:
222:
215:
213:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
170:
166:
163:
159:
155:
151:
148:
145:
139:
135:
131:
128:
124:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
96:
68:
64:
60:
56:
53:
49:
42:
37:
34:
28:
22:
17:
620:
502:
460:
424:
363:
300:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
277:
272:
268:
264:
262:
237:
232:
227:
194:civil parish
190:municipality
181:
177:
175:
146:
78:25°41′13.4″W
75:37°44′53.4″N
30:
24:
590:Vila Franca
436:Santa Maria
296:Rua do Paim
288:Rua do Paim
273:Rua do Paim
198:Santa Clara
169:Stalagmites
165:Stalactites
147:Rua do Paim
90: /
66:Coordinates
61:), Portugal
681:Lava tubes
670:Categories
441:São Miguel
318:References
206:Portuguese
202:São Miguel
55:São Miguel
632:seamounts
565:Mosteiros
560:Monchique
550:Fradinhos
487:São Jorge
243:Geography
186:lava tube
143:entrances
133:Entrances
123:Lava tube
555:Madalena
545:Formigas
492:Terceira
477:Graciosa
306:See also
161:Features
51:Location
580:Sabrina
356:Sources
216:History
204:in the
141:List of
119:Geology
575:Rosais
540:Cabras
528:Islets
519:Flores
210:Azores
153:Access
127:Basalt
103:Length
59:Azores
570:Praia
535:Baixo
514:Corvo
472:Faial
323:Notes
585:Topo
482:Pico
290:and
282:(or
176:The
286:),
196:of
672::
330:^
275:.
212:.
167:,
125:,
507:)
465:)
429:)
394:e
387:t
380:v
267:(
180:(
136:1
57:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
