São Brás Fort

Located on the most ancient village of the Azores Archipelago, Vila do Porto, the capital of the amazing Santa Maria Island, the São Brás Fort would have been built between the end of the 16th century and beginning of the 17th century, as a Coastal protection.

The Atlantic Coast has suffered, for centuries, several Pirate attacks, hence its protection was needed, also as the own island was developing.

The architectonic set has suffered several conservation works in the 1960’s and is nowadays opened to the public, that is usually delighted with the panoramas that can be seen from here.

The São Brás Fort is constituted by a small bulwark, by the Command House building and by army barracks, by the charming Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel and by an obelisk signed by the artist Raul Lino. It still conserves in its interior several artillery pieces.