Lajes do Pico (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈlaʒɨʒ ðu ˈpiku] ⓘ) is a town and municipality in the central Azores.
The first settlement to be established on the southern part of the island of along Penedo Negro, in the cove of Castelete (south of the actual town of Lajes) sometime around 1460.
[4] The rough seas at the time only allowed the navigator Fernando Álvares Evangelho to offload at the time, and he and his dog would occupy the land near the ravine (along the western edge of the town) for many years: the ravine of potable water took its name Ribeira Fernado Álvares from this early colonist.
[4] A few remain at this site, including Jordão Álvares Caralta, while other stayed along the coast, near Maré (named for the local tidal pool).
[4] The town of Lajes never received a foral (charter) typical of continental settlements; in 1500, the first municipal chamber was composed of various good men of stature in the community and by charter (dated 14 May 1501) the Captain-Donatary Jôs d'Utra conferred power and authority to Fernando Álvares to assigned licenses to various settlers in his name, for the monarchy of Portugal.