The Museu Virtual Marítimo do Extremo Oriental das Américas - Exea launches the exhibition Timeline Fortaleza de Santa Catarina, a monument listed by the Historical Heritage, located in Cabedelo, Paraíba. With a different exhibition format, the timeline is organized chronologically, highlighting relevant historical facts, from its construction to the present day. Each highlight has its specific content expanded and is linked to the database of the Museu Virtual EXEA. The exhibition is accessible for free on the website museuexea.org.

As a virtual museum, Exea instigates new sensations and experiences for the visitor; in this sense, the Timeline Fortaleza de Santa Catarina is an innovative exhibition format. The launch is marked by the live stream on the Museu Exea YouTube channel, hosted by Giovanna Wanderley, Coordinator of Legal Support and Interinstitutional Relations at Exea, mediating conversations with the exhibition's creators, historians Leandro Vilar Oliveira, Editor-in-Chief of Editora Exea, and George Henrique, Coordinator of Collection and Research.

The research effort to assemble the content updates the history of Fortaleza de Santa Catarina. The exhibition fills temporal gaps whose absence in Books was verified by the researchers. According to Leandro Vilar, the Books published on the subject date from the 1970s and 1980s. After that, only academic articles address the fortification. “One of the periods is between the departure of the Dutch in 1654 and their return, which occurred in 1817. What happened during these two hundred years? The timeline records it,” Vilar points out.

George Henrique emphasizes that “Fortaleza de Santa Catarina is one of the largest structures in terms of historical heritage not only in the state of Paraíba but also in Brazil. It is one of the most important military monuments in Northeastern Brazil, a stage for battles, revolutions, a bastion of vigilance for the state, because all vessels that reached the river from the sea had to pass through it.”

The content presented in the timeline is condensed as it is a characteristic of the “timeline” format. Fortaleza de Santa Catarina was listed as a national historical heritage site on May 24, 1938, and has more than 400 years of existence, with extensive memory. The exhibition is an important resource for understanding the historical relevance of the fort for both the region and Brazil. Those who cannot be physically present at the site have the opportunity to learn about this history virtually.

A fort with several names

Among the curiosities addressed in the Timeline Fortaleza de Santa Catarina is the change in the names given to the fortress over time.

Leandro Vilar reveals that in the 16th century, when it was built, the fortress was called Forte Cabedelo. “Forte” because that is the denomination for a small construction, as the fort was smaller at that time. Later, it was called “Forte do Matos,” in reference to one of the captains who led it. The Dutch, during their occupation, called it Forte Margarida, “why such a random name?” Leandro questions. “We'll see in the timeline!” Then it became Forte Cabedelo again. In the 18th century, the construction was expanded and acquired the status of “Fortaleza de Santa Catarina,” the patron saint of the chapel built inside the Fortress.

Exea is a research source

The sources used for the construction of this timeline were handwritten documents, typographic documents, such as pamphlets, bulletins, Books; digitized documents found in the Hemeroteca da Biblioteca Nacional and the Arquivo Nacional. “Based on these sources, we did analysis and comparative work to organize the content of the exhibition,” says George Henrique.

EXEA brings together a database and a collection for each exhibition and also for themes related to the Atlantic Ocean. This makes Exea a research source for studies at any level, from basic education to academia.

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Exhibition Timeline Fortaleza de Santa Catarina

Access: https://www.museuexea.org/

Start date: February 02, 2022

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Text:

Márcia Dementshuk - Journalist
Exea Press Service