Fort of Negrito

Fort of Negrito (Forte do Negrito)
Fort (Forte)
The pool-side facade (southeast) of the Fort of Negrito, showing the crenallations for implacements
Official name: Forte de Negrito
Name origin: negrito, Portuguese for small and black, diminutive of negro, Portuguese for black
Country  Portugal
Autonomous region  Azores
Group Central
Island Terceira
Municipality Angra do Heroísmo
Location São Mateus da Calheta
 - elevation 3 m (10 ft)
 - coordinates 38°39′19.93″N 27°16′55.57″W / 38.6555361°N 27.2821028°W / 38.6555361; -27.2821028Coordinates: 38°39′19.93″N 27°16′55.57″W / 38.6555361°N 27.2821028°W / 38.6555361; -27.2821028
Length 45.37 m (149 ft), Southwest-Northeast
Width 17.38 m (57 ft), Northwest-Southeast
Architects Tommaso Benedetto de Pesaro
Style Medieval
Materials Basalt, Wood, Tile
Origin 16th century
 - Initiated c. 1581
Owner Portuguese Republic
For public Public
Easiest access Caminho da Vila Maria
Management Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico
Operator Junta de Freguesia de São Mateus da Calheta
Status Unclassified

The Fort of Negrito (Portuguese: Forte de Negrito) is a 16th Century maritime fort situated in the civil parish of São Mateus da Calheta, municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, on the Portuguese island of Terceira, in the archipelago of the Azores.

History

A detailed layout of the fort from 1881

The fort was constructed in 1581, to support the defense of the island from an eminent Spanish invasion, brought on by the succession crisis of 1580.[1] [2] It was constructed simultaneously with the neighboring Fort of Salga, under the authority of the Azorean Inspector-General/Magistrate, Ciprião de Figueiredo e Vasconcelos, in conformity with the defense plan for the island elaborated by Engineer Tommaso Benedetto de Pesaro.[1] Its construction was paid for with tax increases over commercial goods, foodstuffs, anchorage duties and, much later, by new taxes imposed on the estates in the archipelago, with citizens in Angra contributing 10.000 Cruzados, while villagers of Praia submitted 5.000 cruzados.[1]

The fort was part of an integrated system of fortifications, that followed in the southern coast of the island, consisting of small redoubts.[2] This fort crossed-firing lines with the Forte da Igreja.[1]

Between the 17th and end of the 19th centuries, the site was always under bombardment from pirates, invaders or rebels, owing to its important strategic position, being garrisoned by five artillery pieces, and 20 support canon.[1][2][3]

In 1830, a plan for the site was elaborated by José Rodrigo de Almeida, with the main bulwark oriented towards the northwest.[1] Later, the northwestern battlements, which were oriented towards the land, were removed, along with a square in the southwestern corner.[1]

From the Baron of Bastos, "the walls towards the sea require some repairs; although the budget has been approved, the plan has not been executed, due to a lack of funds."[1] In 1881 the elaborated battlements had been extended to505 square metres (5,440 sq ft).[1]

At the end of the 19th century, the building served as a warehouse and residents for fishermen employed in whale-hunting.[1] Its design was altered in the 19th century, with the suppression of the battery along the southwest corner, which almost acted as intermediary bulwark, along with the northwest corner and northern wall (which is extensively irregular and without parapet).[1] Along the road that connected the fort to the regional roadway, a banquette was used by fusiliers (today there are no remnants of this firing line).[1]

The space was once again used to garrison troops during the First and Second World Wars.[1]

Sometime between 1959 and 1964, the fort was transferred from the military to the municipal council of Angra do Heroísmo, through the initiative of Manuel Coelho Baptista de Lima (then president), in order to serve as a cultural and tourist attraction. Until this time the fort was occupied by an old widow, in deplorable conditions, with minor sanitary conditions.[1]

In 1940, restoration work was completed on the fort, under the direction of sergeants Laranjeira and Lima.[1]

Architecture

A perspective of the fort along the coast, showing the recreational pool and bathing area
Artillery pieces along the battlements
The museum of military history within the buildings of the fort

The fort is located along the coast, implanted west of Angra, in an area that historically permitted access to ships. Over a rocky coastal shore, the fort followed the slope until the sea level, today in the bathing area of Negrito.[1] The sea pools are located in the east, with spaces to the east and south for sunbathing, accessible from stone steps, with garden, ovens, bar and parking along a western strip. Immediately nearby is the Forte da Igreja (Fort of the Church).[1] Arranged along the battlements are various artillery pieces.[1]

It is a rectangular fort with an inflected eastern zone, with a building in the interior occupying almost the entire north face.[1]

The battlements extend along the coastal slope, with the exterior (to the west) escarpment facing the land, painted in white and corners in stonework.[1] This area is crowned by a smooth parapet, while stonework covers the remaining facades, crowned in parapets with merlons and canons in the north and northeast corner, there with metallic tubular guard, painted in blue.[1]

The facade that faces land is broken by a rectangular door, frame and almost at a right angle, three firing emplacements, also framed.[1] In the fort's northwest angle protrudes the interior body, also visible above the northern curtain.[1]

Interior

The interior has a rectangular plan, with simple volumes and homogeneous covering in tile, decorated in stark simple edge.[1] The walls are decorated and painted in white, with corners in stonework and principal facade to the south, broken by two rectangular doors, all framed.[1]

Within the interior, there are two small dependencies, the smallest for the guard, and the other acting as warehouse.[1] The walls in these interiors are painted in white, with the corners and ceiling stuccoed. The large courtyard has covered in pavement.[1]

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Noé, Paula (2012), SIPA, ed., Forte do Negrito (IPA.00033609/PT071901130112) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 6 May 2012
  2. 1 2 3 Rosa de Lima, José Gaspar, ed. (December 2010), "Uma História de São Mateus", O Negrito (PDF) (in Portuguese), XVI (51 (Julho-December 2010)), São Mateus da Calheta (Angra do Heroísmo), Portugal, p. 3, retrieved 6 June 2012
  3. ↑ Junta Freguesia, ed. (July–December 2010). "Uma História de São Mateus" (PDF) (in Portuguese). São Mateus da Calheta (Azores), Portugal: Junta Freguesia de São Mateus da Calheta. p. 3. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
Sources
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