Convent of Nossa Senhora do Carmo (Horta)

The Convent of Carmo (Portuguese: Convento do Carmo) is a former-convent situated in the civil parish of Matriz, municipality of Horta in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. For several centuries it was one of the several convents that dotted the urban area of the island of Faial, but was damaged during several earthquakes. After the expulsion of the religious orders the convent began a slow decline, and was eventually expropriated by the Portuguese Armed Forces as an administrative post and garrison.

Its construction began in the 17th century, specifically in 1652, under the influence of D. Helena de Boim, wife of the captain-major Francisco Gil da Silveira.^[1]

After the construction of a chapel, dedicated to the invocation of Nossa Senhora da Boa Nova (Our Lady of Good News), D. Helena de Boim decided to create a hospice, in order to lodge Carmelite friars, that included round-trips through the kingdom to the States of Brazil and Maranhão.^[1]

To promote the convent, D. Helena de Boim donated her possessions to the Order of the Brothers of Mount Carmel, and lands alongside the chapel in order to begin construction of the monastery, and later the church.^[1]

The building evolved considerably throughout the years, primarily due to reconstruction, following several earthquakes that struck Faial over the years.^[1] It also affected the churchyard, situated over the centre of town, which was restored, rebuilt and expanded.^[1]

Much of the construction resulted from the earthquake that struck the island in 1926.^[1] A similar earthquake rocked the islands of the central group on 9 July 1998, provoking destruction in the areas of Ribeirinha, Pedro Miguel, Salão and Cedros, and destroying homes in Castelo Branco (Lombega), Flamengos and Praia do Almoxarife.^[1]

ポルトガルにおける修道会の消滅に伴い、1836年に修道院は在俗カルメル会に移管され、アントニオ・デ・アビラ（後のアビラ・エ・ボラマ公）の介入により、他の自由主義者たちが建物を破壊しようとしたにもかかわらず、修道院は破壊を免れた。^{[ 1 ]}

修道会が消滅した当時、修道女は12人おり、3人が修道会への入会を目指して勉強していた。^{[ 1 ]}

1年後、修道院はポルトガル国家の所有となり、駐屯地と兵舎が設置された。^{[ 1 ] [ 2 ]} 1926年の地震の頃にはその役割は大きく変化し、現在まで国防省の所有となり、軍事拠点として機能しているため、観光名所としての利用には影響が出ている。^{[ 1 ]}

2016年、市議会と国防省は、劣化が進んでいるものの歴史的価値の高い30の公共建築物を改修するプログラムであるRevive（Reabilitação de Património e Turismo）にこの建物を組み込む意向覚書に署名し、5つ星ホテルとして再開し、2022年頃に開業予定であると発表しました。^{[ 3 ] [ 4 ]}

この教会は2021年からオルタ聖美術博物館の本部となっており、アゾレス諸島で最大の聖美術コレクションを所蔵する博物館で、13世紀から20世紀初頭までの美術品を収蔵し、地元の宗教施設や個人コレクションの文脈で、フランドル彫刻の優れたコレクションやその他の作品、金箔を施した木彫り、ポルトガルタイル（アズレージョ）、聖具、典礼用宝飾品や調度品を展示している。^{[ 5 ]}

教会と修道院は、大きな長方形の台地からなる中庭に位置しており、その主要なアクセス（正面玄関のほぼ正面）はトラヴェッサ・ド・カルモ（大きな石畳の階段）に沿っています。^{[ 2 ]}

The principal facade includes to bell towers and is divided into three floors decorated in cornice.^[2] The towers, are delimited by a central section with pilasters, corresponding to the lateral corps and surmounted by bulbous copulas over octagonal base.^[2] There are four sections on all floors, with the last one occupied by the belfry.^[2] The central part, corresponds to the nave, and there are three sections per floor (with the doorways on the ground floor decorated in archways) and surmounted by a cut frontispiece with decorated tympanum.^[2] There is an inscription on the archway entrance to the left part of the church, that reads 1838.^[2]

On the same floor as the facade are two porticos that provided access to the primitive convent. To the right lateral facade there is a rectangular corp, one-storey in height, with three sections, decorated in cornice.^[2] The left lateral facade (behind the military entranceway the compound) are elements of the old cloister.^[2]

The church of the old Convent of Carmo comprises a single nave to a narrower chancel, covered in a vaulted ceiling, and two lateral bodies marked by two chapels.^[2] Access the convent and the pulpits are provided from the false transepts.^[2] The lateral chapels are surmounted by cornice topped by rectangular openings, with guards).^[2] The archways that correspond to the false transepts end at a cornice that mark the beginning of the vaulted ceiling.^[2] A high-choir exists on the extreme nave opposite the main altar.^[2] Among various retables in gilded woodwork, is the one on the side of the epistole, which have characteristics that Joanino, framed by an investment of figurative azulejo tile that is equally Joanino in character.^[2]