The
Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade:
The Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Our Lady of
Piety) was constructed during colonization of the district
- started in 1738 and completed in 1745. The building
is in the Portuguese colonial style and has been designated
a National Heritage site. It is located in the village
of Armação da Piedade and is part of its
history. The chapel is believed to be the first church
built in Santa Catarina state.
The word “armação” means
trap and it was here that whales were rounded up before
being driven onto the beach and killed. Thomé
Gomes Moreira and seven other businessmen began whaling
here in 1741 after buying a twelve-year license from
the Portuguese crown.
It was during this period that the village of Armação
da Piedade was constructed, across the bay from the
Northern tip of Santa Catarina Island, and on the
18th of November of 1945 the Chapel was consecrated.
There are ruins in the area that, according to the
oldest living villagers, are the remains of the buildings
once used for the process of extracting whale oil
and also what’s left of the parsonage.
