Fort of Cinco Ribeiras

Fort of Cinco Ribeiras (Forte das Cinco Ribeiras)
Fort of Our Lady of the Pillar, Fort of Saint Bartholomew
Fort (Forte)
A view of the eastern edge of the Fort of Cinco Ribeiras, along the coast
Named for: Cinco Ribeiras

Country	Portugal
Autonomous region	Azores
Group	Central
Island	Terceira
Municipality	Angra do Heroísmo

Location	Cinco Ribeiras
- coordinates	38°40′32″N 27°19′44″W / 38.67556°N 27.32889°W / 38.67556; -27.32889Coordinates: 38°40′32″N 27°19′44″W / 38.67556°N 27.32889°W / 38.67556; -27.32889

Area	210 m² (2,260 sq ft)

Architects	Tommaso Benedetto
Style	Medieval
Material	Basalt

Origin	16th century
- Initiated	1579
- Completion	1581
Owner	Portuguese Republic

For public	Public

Management	Direção Regional de Cultura
Status	Unclassified

The Fort of Cinco Ribeiras (Portuguese: Forte das Cinco Ribeiras), also known as the Fort of Nossa Senhora do Pilar or Fort of São Bartolomeu, ruins of a 16th-century fortification located in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, along the southeast coast of Terceira, Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

History

Tombo do Forte das Cinco Ribeiras, na freguesia de mesmo nome...", Ilha Terceira (Açores), Portugal.

This fort developed from a line of bastions, opened during the period of the Succession Crisis of 1580, between 1579 and 1581, order by the Corregedor of the Açores, Ciprião de Figueiredo e Vasconcelos from a defensive plan elaborated by Tommaso Benedetto.^[1] The line served as coastal defences for consistent attacks by privateers and pirates, during this period of exploration and support of Atlantic colonies of North America.

The fort was raised in 1653, under the initiative of the municipal authority, who was preoccupied with pirate attacks, who was threatened by squadron of 40 to 50 ships.^[2] The municipality also decided to collaborate with the Provisioner of Arms, for the defence of the island, owing to the possible invasion by Spanish during the Portuguese Restoration.^[3]

During the War of Spanish Succession (1702-1714) the fort was referred to as "O Forte de Nossa Senhora do Pillar".^[4]

At the time of the establishment of the Captaincy-General of the Azores, its state was reported, as:

36 - Fort of Our Lady of the Pillar. Need to concentrate on the door; it has six canon emplacements and we need to open another two. There are four capable, iron pieces and in good repair. Need two pieces for the two canon emplacements that should be opened up to garrison six artillery and 24 auxiliaries.^[5]

It was referred to as "29. Fort of Cinco Ribeiras site of the parish of Santa Bárbara alongside Our Lady of the Pillar" in the report "Revista aos fortes que defendem a costa da ilha Terceira", of adjunct Manoel Correa Branco (1776), who referred to the repairs necessary: "This fort required rebuilding in the east, and the ceiling of the house, and the fort, in all the exterior area, broken, garrisoned and plastered."^[6]

The plans for the fort, were identified in the Colecção de Plantas e Alçados de 32 Fortalezas dos Açores (Collection of Plans and Elevations of 32 Fortresses of the Azores) by José Rodrigo de Almeida in 1806.^[7] The report of Marshall Baron of Bastos (1862) supported the notion that the fortifications were still viable over the centuries.^[8] But, by 1881 the spaces were abandoned and in a state of ruin.^[9]

In 1938, a process was opened to transfer the property to the Ministry of Finances, but, was suspended in 1941 during the context of World War II, when it was expropriated for military use. Its transfer was completed in 1965.

By the beginning of the 21st century, the fort was completely abandoned and in a precarious state of conservation.

Architecture

The basalt base of the Fort at the edge of the cliff

The fort is located over a dominant section of the beach, consisting of a fortification destined for the defence of the coastal anchorage, from pirates and privateers that frequented this region of the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated in an isolated basalt, arriba, originating from the volcanic eruption of the Santa Bárbara Massif, at sea level.

The polygonal bastion is adapted to the rock, constructed of masonry and rock, occupying an area of 210 square metres (2,300 sq ft).

The walls delimit a platform that includes one piece extending through the barbette. Internally is a powerhouse and the walls provided spots for fusiliers. The defence is complimented by another line of trenches, composed of masonry and mortar, that extend towards the east for 150 metres (490 ft).

References

Notes

↑ Francisco Drummond Anais da Ilha Terceira. tomo I, p.231
↑ Francisco Drummond Anais da Ilha Terceira. tomo I, p.124
↑ Manuel Baptista de Lima. Apontamentos inéditos.
↑ "Fortificações nos Açores existentes em 1710", Arquivo dos Açores (in Portuguese), p. 178, retrieved 8 December 2011
↑ Júdice (1767)
↑ "Revista aos Fortes que Defendem a costa da Ilha Terceira - 1776" (in Portuguese). IHIT. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
↑ Prancha "Planta e alçado do Forte das Cinco Ribeiras, José Rodrigo de Almeida, 1806, Angra do Heroísmo, ilha Terceira, Açores". in Arquipélagos.pt. Consultado em 31 dez 2011.
↑ Baron of Bastos (1997), p.267
↑ Damião Freire de Bettencourt Pego, "Tombos dos Fortes da Ilha Terceira"

Sources

Barão de Bastos (1997), "Relação dos fortes, Castellos e outros pontos fortificados que se achão ao prezente inteiramente abandonados, e que nenhuma utilidade tem para a defeza do Pais, com declaração d'aquelles que se podem desde ja desprezar", Boletim do Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira, LV, Angra do Heroísmo (Azores), Portugal, pp. 267–271
Bettencourt Pego, Damião Freire de; Almeida Júnior, António Belo de (1996), "Tombos dos Fortes da Ilha Terceira", Boletim do Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira (in Portuguese), LIV, Direcção dos Serviços de Engenharia do Exército
Castelo Branco, António do Couto de; Ferrão, António de Novais (1981), "Memorias militares, pertencentes ao serviço da guerra assim terrestre como maritima, em que se contém as obrigações dos officiaes de infantaria, cavallaria, artilharia e engenheiros; insignias que lhe tocam trazer; a fórma de compôr e conservar o campo; o modo de expugnar e defender as praças, etc (1719)", Arquivo dos Açores, Universidade dos Açores, IV, pp. 178–181
Drummond, Francisco Ferreira (1981), Anais da Ilha Terceira (fac-simil. da ed. de 1859) (in Portuguese), Angra do Heroísmo (Azores), Portugal: Secretaria Regional da Educação e Cultura
Faria, Manuel Augusto (4 May 1997), "Ilha Terceira – Fortaleza do Atlântico: Forte das Cinco Ribeiras", Diário Insular (in Portuguese)
Frutuoso, Gaspar, Jerónimo Cabral, ed., Saudades da Terra (in Portuguese), VI, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Portugal: Instituto Cultural de Ponta Delgada * Anónimo. "Colecção de todos os fortes da jurisdição da Villa da Praia e da jurisdição da cidade na Ilha Terceira, com a indicação da importância da despesa das obras necessárias em cada um deles (Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino)". in Boletim do Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira, vol. LI-LII, 1993-1994.
Júdice, João António (1981), "Revista dos Fortes da Terceira", Arquivo dos Açores (in Portuguese), V, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Portugal: Universidade dos Açores, pp. 359–363
Martins, José Salgado (2007), "Património Edificado da Ilha Terceira: o Passado e o Presente", Atlântida (in Portuguese), LII, p. 14
Mota, Valdemar (1993–1994), "Fortificação da Ilha Terceira", Boletim do Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira, LI-LII, Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira
Neves, Carlos; Carvalho, Filipe; Matos, Artur Teodoro de (1992), "Documentação sobre as Fortificações dos Açores existentes nos Arquivos de Lisboa – Catálogo", Boletim do Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira (in Portuguese), L
Vieira, Alberto (1987), "Da poliorcética à fortificação nos Açores: introdução ao estudo do sistema defensivo nos Açores nos séculos XVI-XIX", Boletim do Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira, XLV, tomo II, Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira
"Revista aos Fortes que Defendem a Costa da Ilha Terceira – 1776 (Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino)", Boletim do Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira (in Portuguese), LVI, 1998

Angra do Heroísmo

Civil parishes	Altares Cinco Ribeiras Doze Ribeiras Feteira Nossa Senhora da Conceição Porto Judeu Posto Santo Raminho Ribeirinha Santa Bárbara Santa Luzia São Bartolomeu de Regatos São Bento São Mateus da Calheta São Pedro Sé Serreta Terra Chã Vila de São Sebastião

Natural landmarks	Algar do Carvão Bay of Angra Bay of Pontas Bay of Salga Bay of Refugo Cabras Islets Furna de Água Galerias da Feteira Gruta Brisa Azul Gruta das Agulhas Gruta das Cinco Ribeiras Gruta das Mercês Gruta do Zé Grande Gruta dos Ratões Lagoa do Negro Mata da Serreta Monte Brasil Parque de Campismo das Cinco Ribeiras Ponta do Queimado Porto das Cinco Ribeiras Prainha Serra da Ribeirinha Serra de Santa Bárbara Serra do Morião ou da Nasce Água Zona Balnear do Negrito

Man-made landmarks	Bettencourt Palace Cais da Alfândega Cais da Silveira Castle of Moinhos Cemetery of Anchors Church of São Mateus da Calheta Convent of São Gonçalo Duke of Terceira Garden Fort of the Açougue Fort of the Cavalas Fort of the Church of São Mateus da Calheta Fort of Greta Fort of Má Ferramenta Fort of the Maré Fort of Negrito Fort of Santo António do Monte Brasil Fort of São João Fort of São João Baptista Forte das Caninas Forte das Cinco Ribeiras Forte da Salga Forte de Santa Catarina das Mós Forte de Santo António Forte de São Fernando Forte de São Francisco Forte de São Sebastião Forte do Terreiro Forte do Zimbreiro Fortress of São Mateus da Calheta Reducto da Salga Miradouro da Amoreira Miradouro da Ponta do Queimado Miradouro da Serreta Miradouro das Veredas Miradouro do Pico das Cruzinhas Miradouro do Pico Matias Simão Municipal Palace/Hall of Angra do Heroísmo Parque Arqueológico Subaquático da Baía de Angra do Heroísmo Parque de Campismo das Cinco Ribeiras Parque Municipal do Relvão (Angra do Heroísmo) Porto das Cinco Ribeiras Redoubt of Dois Paus Redoubt of Três Paus Manor of Madre de Deus Sé Cathedral of Angra do Heroísmo

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.