Gruta do Carvão
The Gruta do Carvão is an ancient lava tube located on the outskirts of the municipality of Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.
History
Gaspar Frutuoso, the 16th century chronicler and historian wrote: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.
Geography
The Gruta is situated in the parish of Santa Clara, in the northwest part of Ponta Delgada and is integrated into the Monumento Natural Regional da Gruta do Carvão, to the northwest of water reservoirs of SMAS, along Rua do Paim.The largest lava tunnel on the island of São Miguel, the cave is located in the western edge of Ponta Delgada and extends for. It is divided into three sections: Rua de Lisboa, Rua do Paim and Rua João do Rego. Yet, older documents and field work suggest that the tube actually longer, and may reach a length of. The section at Rua do Paim is approximately long, with an internal cavity that is at its maximum extent high and wide.
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 due to the 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 long with long sections of superimposed, soda-straw, conical ring-type tubes with pitted pockets.