Country
Brazil
City / Region
Niterói (RJ) / Brazil
Construction Date
The fortification emerged in the early 17th century, and by 1612 it already had a small structure with artillery pieces and a chapel. It underwent several expansion works from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
Conservation status
It is garrisoned and in military use to this day. It was definitively listed by IPHAN. Shared management between IPHAN and the Army, with management plans in the context of the UNESCO candidacy, aims for its preservation.
Latitude and Longitude
22°56'17.3"S 43°07'54.6"W
Main characteristics
Considered the main defense of the entrance to Guanabara Bay for centuries, this fortification, initially a small structure of bricks and stones, was expanded over almost three hundred years, becoming the largest in the state of Rio de Janeiro, with over 7,000 square meters of built area. Its military architecture reflects three distinct periods (17th, 18th, and 19th centuries), featuring walls, sentry boxes, cells, a cistern, the 'Salão de Pedras' (former powder magazine), courtyards, galleries, and cannon batteries with old artillery pieces, in addition to the Capela de Santa Bárbara. It was strategically used to repel attacks by the Dutch, French, and pirates. Currently, it is the headquarters of the Artilharia Divisionária da 1ª Divisão de Exército, open to guided public visitation, and is part of the ensemble of fortifications nominated for UNESCO World Heritage.
Source(s)
BARRETO, Aníbal (Cel.). Fortificações no Brazil (Resumo Histórico). Rio de Janeiro: Biblioteca do Exército Editora, 1958.
GOVERNO DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIRO. ****. Governo do RJ, [data]. Disponível em:]. Acesso em: 20 abr. 2025.
GOVERNO DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE. ****. Governo do RN, [data]. Disponível em:]. Acesso em: 20 abr. 2025. <br> ICOMOS Brazil. Fortificaciones y Patrimonio. ICOMOS Brazil, [s.d.]. Disponível em: https://www.icomos.org.br/fortificacoes-e-patrimonio?lang=es. Acesso em: 20 abr. 2025.
INSTITUTO DO PATRIMÔNIO HISTÓRICO E ARTÍSTICO NACIONAL (IPHAN). Conjunto formado por fortificações em Niterói (RJ) é tombado definitivamente. IPHAN, [data No informada]. Disponível em: https://www.gov.br/iphan/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/conjunto-formado-por-fortificacoes-em-niteroi-rj-e-tombado-definitivamente. Acesso em: 20 abr. 2025.
INSTITUTO DO PATRIMÔNIO HISTÓRICO E ARTÍSTICO NACIONAL (IPHAN). Parecer Técnico nº 158/2021/CGID/DEPAM. IPHAN, 15 dez. 2021. Disponível em: https://www.gov.br/iphan/pt-br/acesso-a-informacao/participacao-social/conselhos-e-orgaos-colegiados/banco-de-pareceres/tombamento/parecer-tombamento-forte-rj_rj-cons-oria.pdf. Acesso em: 20 abr. 2025.
UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE SANTA CATARINA (UFSC). Fortalezas.org. Cinco curiosidades sobre a candidatura das Fortalezas a Patrimônio Mundial. UFSC, 2022. Disponível em: https://fortalezas.ufsc.br/2022/02/21/cinco-curiosidades-sobre-a-candidatura-das-fortalezas-a-patrimonio-mundial/. Acesso em: 20 abr. 2025.