Stone Species Reserve: Men’s Stones

The Azores are a territory of igneous or magmatic rocks, volcanic in nature, some several million years old (Ma) and others a few hundred, which originated during the period of human occupation.
Transfigured into cultural objects, these materials become testimonies of culture, mirrors of experiences, customs and needs.
The Angra do Heroísmo Museum’s Stone Species Reserve brings together a variety of materials that illustrate the island’s past daily life from the earliest days of its settlement. Tombstones and coats of arms, a wide variety of architectural elements from old private and religious buildings and equipment from domestic activities (sinks, millstones, filters…) are some of the pieces that can be seen here.
Curiosities such as a 15th century tombstone, probably the oldest known on the Azorean islands, tombstones of the Protestant community from the early 19th century on Terceira Island and municipal coats of arms from the mid-20th century, which were never used, await your visit.