| |
Only from 1737 on, after the expulsion of the French, which
took possession of the island one year before, Fernando de
Noronha was definitively occupied. Considering the risk that
an archipelago strategically situated in the Atlantic Ocean,
on the way to its colony, Portugal decided to fortify it conveniently
through the Pernambuco Land Division. For this purpose, forts
were built in all strategic points where a possibility of
disembarkation existed, thus avoiding the approach of navigators
as it was occuring since the XVI century.
Ten forts were built, from which nine in the main island
(the only inhabited) and only one in a rocky islet situated
in front of the Saint Anthony harbour, which specific purpose
was to defend the main existing natural anchorage.
From all these forts only the Nª Sª dos Remédios
Fort was registered at the IPHAN in 1961. The remaining
forts of the defensive system were not registered. Only
with the "Documental Ransom Program about Fernando
de Noronha" the registration process for the whole
system was requested. |
Below is a list of the archaeological sites of the main forts.
1 - Saint Anthony Fort
Description:
The construction in form of an irregular four-sided polygon started
in 1737. According to the original plan it should have 10 cannons
for the defense of the Saint Anthony creek, which was a natural
anchorage.
Place: Saint Anthony Harbour
Street: Joaquim Ferreira Street
2 - São Pedro do Boldró
Fort
Description:
The exact year of the construction, which is trapezium shaped,
is unknown. It had three batteries for the defense of the coast
section called "inside sea", between the Pico Mount
and the Dois Irmãos Mount.
Place: Basinha
Street: Fortim Lane
|
3 - Nossa Senhora
dos Remédios Fort
Description:
It's the biggest fort of the whole defensive sysytem implemented
by the Portuguese in the XVIII century. It's situated on
a hill between the Saint Anthony Harbour and the Cachorro
Beach. Its project was based on a bridge over the Mulungu
Brook and a road, which follows the hill flank up to its
walls. This fort was erected over an original dutch redoubt,
which was erected in 1629. It was used as a common and as
a political prison and also as a soldier quarter during
World War II.
Place: Remédios Village
Street: Old Harbour Road
|
4 - Nossa Senhora da Conceição
Fort
Description:
The construction of the square shaped fort began in 1737 for defending
the creek of the Meio and Conceção Beaches. At the
end of the XIX century a hospital was built over the fort ruins.
Place: Meio Beach
Street: Road to the Meio Beach
5 - Sant'Ana Redoubt
Description:
Built in the middle of the XVIII century, the fort was put out
of action at the end of the same century and transformed in a
Navy Quarter. A ramp going down to the Cachorro Beach allowed
using it as a harbour.
Place: Remédios Village
Street: Cruzeiro Square
6 - São João Batista
dos Dois Irmãos Fort
Description:
Built in the middle of the XVIII century, the trapezium shaped
fort had six cannons.
Place: Quixaba Village
Street: Porcos Bay Trail
9 - Contiguous House to the Noronha
Memorial
|
Description:
A solid house, from which there are reliable pictures, was
used as residence of the common prison command personnel.
If restored, it would allow the recomposition of the churchyard
scenario, so improving the sight of the whole urban area in
its front. |
10 - Bathing House
Description:
At the margin of the Mulungu Brook there were water holes, which
served the resident prisoners and, from 1942 on, the military personnel,
which constructed a kind of local laundry. In the XIX century it
existed also a public bathroom with a suitable house for the employees
of the prison.
Conservation condition: archaeological storehouse intact. |