The
Portuguese since from the dawn of the city started with building a defensive system
against foreign invasions that evolved until century XVIII. The main works of
fortification were done after the Dutch conquest of the town (1624-1625) and the
successive reconquest by the Portuguese. They for fear of a new Dutch invasion, that
materialize in 1638 and in 1647, started to build several forts to defend Salvador, the
capital of the Brazilian colony.
Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra
The first fortification in this place was built between 1583 and
1587 during the govern of D. Manuel Telles Barreto, this was a poligonal tower of
"taipa". A better fortification was built during the govern of D. Francisco de Souza (1591-1602)
this time it was a fort with an octagonal shape, it was artilled with 4 cannons. In 1624
the fortification did not resist the Dutch landing in the port. During the govern of D.
João de Lencastre, between 1696 and 1702, the fort got its current shape due to the
project of the engineer João Coutinho. Its design, as in other fortifications, is in the
Italian style. A ramp tunnel, ending in a stairway, accesses it.
Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra, Salvador
(Bahia).
Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra, Salvador
(Bahia).
Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra, Salvador
(Bahia).
Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra, Salvador
(Bahia). The entrance gate.
Forte de Santa Maria
This fort
was build, "de pedra e cal" during the govern of D. Diogo Luís de Oliveira
(1627-1635). It's certain, that during the second Dutch invasion in 1638 the fort was part
of the city defences. In 1671 it had 1 bronze cannon and 2 iron cannons, but according
with the "Relatorio, 1671" it needed of three more cannons. It has an
Italian-style design and was built in stonemasonry.
Forte de Santa Maria, Salvador (Bahia).
Forte de Santa Maria, Salvador (Bahia).
Forte de São Diogo
This fort
was build, "de pedra e cal" during the govern of D. Diogo Luís de Oliveira
(1627-1635). With the forts ofSanta Maria and Santo Antônio da Barra
it's part of the defense system of Porto da Barra. It has an irregular shape and it's
built at the foot of the hill where was the original Vila Velha of Pereira Coutinho.
Forte de São Diogo, Salvador (Bahia).
Forte de Nossa Senhora do Pópulo e São Marcelo (Forte do Mar)
This is a
circular fort, its construction, during the govern of Francisco Barreto (1657-1663), far
from the shore is due to the fear of a new invasion. Its objective was to avoid any
invasion of the port. In 1670 s. it had 9 cannons. Its slightly circular project is formed
by a central turret, surrounded by a ring of equal height, constituted by the perimeter
and the quarters. It was built in sandstone up to the waterline and the remaining in
stonemasonry.
Forte de Nossa Senhora do Pópulo e São
Marcelo (Forte do Mar), Salvador (Bahia).
Forte de Nossa Senhora de Montserrat
Montserrat
Fort is located on the western head of the Itapagipana Peninsula. Probably it was build in
1586 during the govern of D. Manuel Telles Barreto (1583-1587), its construction was
continued during the govern of D. Francisco de Souza
(1591-1602), when it was known as Castelo de São Felipe, perhaps it
was traced by Baccio da Filicaia (Firenze 1565-Salvador (Bahia) 1628) that worked under
this governor. Its design is inspired by the Italian fortification style and it's one of
the best example of militar primitive architecture in Brazil. Its shape is as an irregular
polygon, with circular turrets. It had 3 cannons and from the fort, the entire Port of
Salvador could be protected. In 1616 its garrison was composed by 16 men: a captain, an
head, a gunner, a tamburine and 12 musketeers. On 9 May 1624, this fort that had 4
cannons, was attacked by the Dutch army, the garrison after a furious resistence was
forced to surrender. During the Dutch occupation,
the Portugueses build, in the vicinities of the fort, a trench where they placed 2 bronze
cannons. Captain Manuel Gonçalves during one of the numerous attacks that the Portugueses
did to the garrison of the fort succeeded to capture the commander of the fort. On 17 July
1624, general Johan Van Dorth, the Dutch commander of the troops of garrison of Salvador,
was attacked and killed in the locality Água de Meninos, while with 200 men he was
returning from an inspection of the Montserrat Fort. In 1625 the Hispano-Portuguese under
D. Fradique de Toledo retook the fort and on 1 May 1625 the entire Dutch garrison of
Salvador capitulated. In 1638, a Dutch army, under Johann Moritz von Nassau-Siegen, put
under siege Salvador, on 21 April 1638 a platoon under Major Van den Brand attacked the
fort of Montserrat, that soon capitolated, the captain of the fort at that time was Pedro
Aires de Aguirre. This time the Dutch were forced to leave the siege of the city after a
month (16 April 1638-26 May 1638). In October 1655 the Conde de Ataugia ordered to rebuild
the fortress, later in 1693 D. João de Lencastre ordered the same. During these
reconstruction the fort reached the actual exagonal shape with tower at each angle, in
1717 it had 12 cannons.
Forte
de Nossa Senhora de Monte Serrat, Salvador (Bahia). This fort it's one of the best example of militar primitive architecture
in Brazil.
Forte de Nossa
Senhora de Monte Serrat, Salvador (Bahia).
Forte de Saõ Pedro
The first
fortification in the area dates from 1624, and was started to build by the Dutch during
their brief of occupation of Salvador (1624-1625). In 1648, the old trench was replaced by
a fort. Located on a strategic place, Fort São Pedro, along with Fort São Paulo da
Gamboa, played a main role in the defense of the south portion of the city. In 1671 it had
only 2 cannons. During the govern of Roque da Costa Barreto (1678-1682) the fort was
repaired. During 1710s. the fort was improved, the works were terminatad on 12 August
1723, in 1759 it had 5 bronze "colubrinas", 1 bronze "morteiro" and 37
iron cannons. A stonemasonry construction, the fort has a quadrangular polygonal shape,
with bastions at each side with turret-shaped watch posts.
