Praia do Norte is a civil parish of the municipality of Horta, located along the northern coast between Cedros and Capelo, on the Portuguese island of Faial, in the archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 250, in an area of . It is the least populous parish on the island, reached along the Estrada Regional E.R.1-1ª regional roadway from the urban centre of Horta. It contains the localities Cerca, Fajã and Praia do Norte. History This parish, and its church, were first referenced on 30 June 1567, with the first five parishes of the municipality of Horta. Its fertile soils (which produced many of the islands cereals, beans and fruits) were situated in the area known as Nicho, a biforkation between the regional roadway and Norte Pequeno, that stretched to the road at Quinta. By 1643, there were 274 inhabitants and 77 homes in the area (as referenced by Diogo das Chagas). The parish at one time included the region of Capelo, but it was de-annexed. The primitive parochial church was destroyed completely by the eruption of the Cabeço do Fogo volcano on 24 April 1672. At about one in the morning, a violent explosion awoke many of the residents, and forced them from their homes. Two lava flows escaped Cabeço do Fogo towards the north (Praia do Norte) and south (destroying the community of Ribeira do Cabo in Capelo). The northern flow, after pausing to destroy Lameiros, reached Praia do Norte where it covered the parish in black rock, including many of the large tracts of arable land. Many of the residents of the northern coast abandoned the area, eventually resulting in the parish being incorporated into the neighboring parish (Capelo). According to Américo Costa (in Dicionário Corográfico) a large part of the inhabitants of both parishes (Capelo and Praia do Norte) were affected by the eruption; homes and farmlands in Ribeira do Cabo (Capelo), Lameiros and Praia do Norte were destroyed. A niche, located at the intersection to Norte Pequeno, currently marks the position of the old church. Some inhabitants returned gradually, planting vineyards and fruit trees and small agricultural farming developed on the higher elevations. By the beginning of the 18th century 712 inhabitants lived in 180 buildings in the parish. In 1787, a chapel of Nossa Senhora de Penha de França (Our Lady of Peñafrancia) of was erected by the Madalena-native José Nunes