Fort Pontael, Military fortification in Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Brazil
Fort Pontael is a stone fort in Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Pernambuco, sitting on a hilltop above the coast with a heptagonal layout. The ruins still show remnants of walls, powder magazines, and quarters that made up the original garrison.
The fort was built in the 17th century to guard a key anchorage during the Dutch invasion of Brazil. Between 1630 and 1654 it passed back and forth between Portuguese and Dutch forces.
The fort remains mark the location where Spanish navigator Vicente Yanez Pinzon first spotted Brazilian territory on January 26, 1500.
The site is reached through the village of Nazare along the PE-28 highway, and the open grounds make it easy to walk among the ruins from different angles. The hilltop position means the views of the surrounding coast are best appreciated on a clear day.
During the Dutch occupation the fort was renamed Fort van der Dussen, after one of the commanders who held it. From this single position, a garrison in two companies kept watch over both the Suape and Ipojuca rivers at once.
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