Fort D’El Rei, (Fortim D'El-Rei in Portuguese), also known as Mindelo Fort (Forte do Mindelo in Portuguese) is located in Mindelo, on the Island of São Vicente in Cape Verde.
| Fort D'El-Rei | |
|---|---|
Fortim D'El-Rei | |
| Mindelo, Cape Verde in Cape Verde | |
.JPG) | |
| Coordinates | 16°53′26″N 24°59′35″W / 16.89056°N 24.99306°W |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | ruins |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1852-1853[1] |
It was built between 1852 and 1853 and is the oldest construction in the city, having been built to defend the Porto Grande harbour.[1][2] It had 4 18 caliber guns and three 3 caliber guns.[3] It has a wide panoramic view over the city and the bay.
The fortlet is roughly square in shape, with a 30 meters side and a central courtyard in a single storey plan.[1]
In 1924 it housed the ports signal station.[4] It served as a civil jail between 1930 and 1970, purpose which it lost once the Central Jail of Mindelo was built.[1] In 1934, militia descended from the fortlet onto the city on a food riot incited by a local carpenter, Ambrósio.[5] It's been the object of a possible restoration plan to be used for tourism.[1] As of 2012 it was in ruins.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f Fortim D' El-Rei, Mindelo, Porto Grande, Ilha de São Vicente, Cabo Verde at hpip.org
- ^ Christiano José de Senna Barcellos: Subsidios para a historia de Cabo Verde e Guiné, Volumes 5-7, Typographia da Academia Real das Sciencias, 1911, p.256
- ^ Christiano José de Senna Barcellos: Subsidios para a historia de Cabo Verde e Guiné, Volumes 5-7, Typographia da Academia Real das Sciencias, 1911, p.275
- ^ United States Office of Naval Intelligence: Port Directory of the Principal Foreign Ports, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1928, p.461.
- ^ Aisling Irwin, Colum Wilson: Cape Verde, Bradt Travel Guides, 2011, p. 268.
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