Forte de Santa Maria ( pt, Fort of Saint Mary) is a
fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
located in
Salvador
Salvador, meaning "salvation" (or "saviour") in Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese may refer to:
* Salvador (name)
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
*Salvador (band), a Christian band that plays both English and Spanish music
** ''Salvador'' ( ...
,
Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
in Brazil. It is also known as the Fortim de Santa Maria ( pt, Small Fort of Saint Mary).
It retains much of its original structure of the 17th century, including its broad, stone curtain walls. The fort is in the shape of a heptagon and is accessed via a narrow embankment. The fort was listed as a historic structure by the
National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage
The National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (, IPHAN) is a heritage register of the federal government of Brazil. It is responsible for the preservation of buildings, monuments, structures, objects and sites, as well as the register and ...
(IPHAN) in 1938. It is closed to the public, is not maintained by federal or state institutions and is falling into a state of disrepair.
Ownership and abandonment
Under Article 20 of the
Constitution of Brazil of 1988 the Forte de Santa Maria is classified as a military installation and owned by the
Armed Forces of Brazil
The Brazilian Armed Forces ( pt, Forças Armadas Brasileiras, ) are the unified military forces of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Consisting of three service branches, it comprises the Brazilian Army (including the Brazilian Army Aviatio ...
. It, as well as ten other forts in Salvador, are assets of the Secretariat of Patrimony of the Union (SPU) ( pt, Secretaria do Patrimônio da União in Bahia. The
Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious warf ...
transferred the fort to the SPU in 2001. The SPU stated in 2020 that it is unable to maintain the fort; it has remained closed to the public since 2001. Lacking any maintenance, the walls of the fort are both damaged and unpainted. An NGO was established to manage the fort, but the venture proved unsuccessful. The SPU hopes to return the fort to the
Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious warf ...
.
Protected status
The São Paulo da Gamboa Battery was listed as a historic structure by the
National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage
The National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (, IPHAN) is a heritage register of the federal government of Brazil. It is responsible for the preservation of buildings, monuments, structures, objects and sites, as well as the register and ...
(IPHAN) in 1938.
Condition and access
The Forte de Santa Maria is not open to the public and may not be visited.
See also
*
Military history of Brazil
The military history of Brazil comprises centuries of armed actions in the territory encompassing modern Brazil, and the role of the Brazilian Armed Forces in conflicts and peacekeeping worldwide. For several hundreds of years, the area was the s ...
References
External links
Santa Maria
Buildings and structures in Salvador, Bahia
Portuguese colonial architecture in Brazil
National heritage sites of Bahia
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