Fortaleza de São José da Ponta Grossa, Colonial fortification in northern Santa Catarina Island, Brazil.

Fortaleza de São José da Ponta Grossa is a colonial fortification on Santa Catarina Island built with thick stone walls that overlook Jurerê and Canasvieiras beaches from a hilltop position. The complex contains multiple structures from the original occupation period, including barracks, officer quarters, and administrative buildings that are accessible to visitors today.

Construction began in 1740 under Brigadier José da Silva Paes as one component of a triangular defense network protecting the Santa Catarina coast from seaborne threats. The fort served as a key military outpost throughout the colonial period and eventually came under management by UFSC, which preserves it as a public site.

The fort's name honours Saint Joseph, and its chapel, restored in 1977, is dedicated to him. The site is managed by the Federal University of Santa Catarina since 1992, which runs conservation work and archaeological research there. Visitors reach the fort by land via the SC-401 highway or by boat, landing at the Jurerê beach pier.

Access is by land via the SC-401 highway, or by sea with a landing at the Jurerê beach pier. The fort is open daily to the public and has been managed by UFSC since 1992. Visitors walk among the restored walls, Portico, Chapel and Troop Barracks.

The fort fired only two shots before being abandoned to Spanish forces on 24 February 1777. Its commander, Captain Simão Rodrigues de Proença, withdrew on the third day of the siege without fighting; tried by the Portuguese Crown, he died in prison. The island stayed under Spanish rule until 1778, when the Treaty of Santo Ildefonso returned it to Portugal.