The walls
On the channel.
Ricardo Bayerlein (conpuli) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Luiz coelho — CC BY-SA 3.0 · ronaldo canhada — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Diego bachiega — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Monalisa Duarte dos Reis — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sturm — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sturm — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Fort of São João, called the Fort of São Tiago until the 18th century, is regarded as the first fortification built in Brazil, raised in 1560 on the order of the King of Portugal on the mainland at the entrance to the Bertioga Channel opposite Santo Amaro island; it crossed fire with the São Filipe fort in Guarujá to guard the passage against Tupinambá canoe raids. Simpler defences stood there before, among them a wooden stockade of 1547 that the Tupinambá destroyed in 1551. The fort was rebuilt many times, mainly in the 18th century; it was restored as a historic monument in 1920 and listed by the national heritage institute in 1940. In 1960 a local historical institute installed a museum there, until the national institute took it back in 1996 and closed it for restoration; the last works, in 2001, gave it its present form. Today it serves as a cultural venue, surrounded since 2014 by the Parque dos Tupiniquins. Check the hours.
On the channel.
16th century.
Around it.
Mouth of the Bertioga Channel, Bertioga, São Paulo state
It is regarded as the first fortification built in the country, in 1560.