Pedreira do Campo, Figueiral e Prainha

The Pedreira do Campo, Figueiral, e Prainha Natural Monument, located on the south coast of Santa Maria and covering approximately 230 hectares, is one of the most unique geological areas in the Archipelago.

Pedreira do Campo, a former quarry approximately 260 meters long, reveals a rare combination of submarine volcanic rocks and fossiliferous marine sediments, unique in the Azores. Approximately 5 million years old, these sedimentary layers are fundamental for establishing stratigraphic correlations between the islands of Macaronesia and the European and African continents, contributing to our understanding of the geological evolution of the Northeast Atlantic and the natural processes of colonisation of these oceanic islands.

Within this protected area is the Figueiral Cave, an artificial cave where, in the past, clay was extracted for the manufacture of tiles and limestone used in the production of lime for the construction of traditional Santa Maria houses. The ceilings and walls of the cave display numerous bivalve fossils, evidence of the ancient marine landscapes that shaped the island.

The semi-circular Prainha Bay has white sand resulting from the erosion of the surrounding carbonate rocks. Along approximately 800 metres of cliffs, the action of the sea has exposed fossiliferous sedimentary formations where marks of bioerosion caused by sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus), gastropods such as limpets, small bivalves, and fossilised algae crusts, notably Spongites fruticulosus, are visible.

This natural monument is part of the Azores UNESCO Global Geopark, includes several class 2 fossil deposits from the Santa Maria Paleopark, and is crossed by two important walking trails, the South Coast Trail (PR05 SMA) and the Santa Maria Grand Route (GR01 SMA), which allow visitors to explore this unique landscape up close, where geology, history, and biodiversity come together in an exceptional way.

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