Cable Landing Stations.

Category: Civil Architecture > Building

District: Açores > Horta > Horta > Matriz

Location

The Submarine Cable Landing Houses are located in the Matriz parish, in Horta, on Faial Island. Situated on Comendador Fernando da Costa Street, in the Angústias area, these structures are integrated into the city's coastal urban environment. Their proximity to Horta's port places them in a setting with views of the sea and Pico Island, testifying to Horta's connection to the Atlantic and the world.

A Communications Legacy

This complex of buildings represents a fundamental chapter in the history of global telecommunications. During the late 19th and much of the 20th century, the city of Horta became one of the most important points in the world for telegraphic communications. The Landing Houses were the places where submarine cables, arriving from various continents, came ashore, serving as essential connection points for the telegraph stations that processed and retransmitted messages. Their existence underscores Faial's strategic role as a vital link in the intercontinental communication network.

Heritage and Memory

Classified as Property of Public Interest, these houses are an architectural and historical testament to an era when Horta was at the center of technological innovations. Although their original function has ceased, their presence recalls a time when the sound of telegrams resonated on the island, connecting people and information across the globe. Efforts are underway to preserve this heritage and to transform it into a museum, with the intention of creating a space dedicated to the fascinating history of submarine cables in Horta, which may include a future "Alagoa Memorial," where the first foreign cables landed.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt