The Leal Archway

The beautiful arch that serves as the entrance to the main street of the parish, for those who come from the areas of Egipto and Belém, was built in 1910 by the initiative of João Inácio Pacheco Leal, a dynamic businessman from Graciosa, long established in Ponta Delgada. At the time, he was the owner of the residence of Largo do Loreto, where today we can find the Portuguese Armada officers refectory.

There is a date carved on regional basalt and above it the monogram of the construction promoter, in the shape of a triangle, proving the Masonic affiliation. The four pyramids, placed in the upper angles, come from the tower of the Mother Church of Ponta Delgada, from where they were removed when the clock was installed.