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
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. 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

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