Fort of the Maré

Fort of the Maré (Forte da Maré)
Fort of the Tide
Fort (Forte)
Named for: the Tides
Country  Portugal
Autonomous region  Azores
Group Central
Island Terceira
Municipality Angra do Heroísmo
Location São Mateus da Calheta
 - elevation 10 m (33 ft)
 - coordinates 38°43′52.97″N 27°3′1.25″W / 38.7313806°N 27.0503472°W / 38.7313806; -27.0503472Coordinates: 38°43′52.97″N 27°3′1.25″W / 38.7313806°N 27.0503472°W / 38.7313806; -27.0503472
Architects Tommaso Benedetto
Style Medieval
Material Basalt
Origin 16th century
 - Initiated 1576
Owner Portuguese Republic
For public Public
Management Direção Regional de Cultura
Operator Junta de Freguesia da São Mateus da Calheta
Status Unclassified
Location of the fort within the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo

The Fort of the Maré (Portuguese: Forte da Maré), ruins of a 16th-century fortification located in the civil parish São Mateus da Calheta, in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, along the southern coast of Terceira, Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

History

Its construction remotes from the Portuguese succession crisis of 1580, sometime between 1579 and 1581, when attacks by pirates in the mid-Atlantic threatened the safety and security of New World treasure ships.[1] The Corregedor of the Azores, Ciprião de Figueiredo e Vasconcelos initiated the construction of several forts that ringed the coasts of Terceira, using the plans of Italian military engineer Tommaso Benedetto as its basis.

Architecture

The fortification dominated the coastal stretch of São Mateus.

By the end of the 20th century there little more than ruins of this fortification, and the remains of its foundations.

References

Notes
  1. 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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