Fort walls
At the hill's foot.
Aivan Gomes — CC BY-SA 4.0 · SergioRDG — CC BY-SA 4.0 · SergioRDG — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marceloferreirassis — CC BY-SA 4.0 · SergioRDG — CC BY-SA 4.0
The fortress of Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres, also called the Barra or Paranaguá fortress, stands on Fortaleza beach at the foot of a hill on Ilha do Mel, commanding the main channel into Paranaguá Bay. It was built in 1767-1769 under instructions from the Marquis of Pombal, on the orders of the governor of São Paulo captaincy, and opened in 1769 to protect the anchorage of Paranaguá, where gold, timber and later yerba mate were shipped, from corsairs and the Spanish. It first carried six guns, some later sent to the Barra Grande fortress at Santos, and stayed in use until the early 19th century before gradually losing its military importance. It is near Fortaleza, one of the island's four villages, and boats reach the island from Pontal do Sul and Paranaguá.
At the hill's foot.
Into the bay.
North of the island.
Fortaleza beach, north of Ilha do Mel, Paraná
In 1767-1769, to protect the Paranaguá anchorage from corsairs and the Spanish.