Açucareiro – a landmark of history

The United States of America established a military base in Santa Maria island during World War II.

In these times of militarization of the airport – base area – the “Açucareiro” ( sugar bowl)  was a kind of border post, the “gate of arms” even when the base was no longer military: a building that bears similarities to the top of an air control tower. White and glazed all around, marked the entrance in Portuguese territory – entering and exiting demanded the presentation of passports, even by  Santa Maria officials. Now it is just a “sugar bowl”, as it was popularly known, to be a roundabout between the airport and Vila do Porto, the main town of Santa Maria.