Fuerte San Miguel (Uruguay)
Encyclopedia
Fuerte de San Miguel is a military fortification in the small town of Dieciocho de Julio
in the Rocha Department
of eastern Uruguay
. It was erected in 1737 by the Portuguese, having abandoned the attempt at building a fort in Maldonado
. It was constructed of large, heavy stones to create the tall towers (four bastions), thick walls and sturdy ramparts to withstand the onslaught of wars fought against the Spanish invaders which was instrumental in Uruguay evolving as an independent nation.
. Visible after passing Paso de Punta Segra, it is situated on top of the Sierra de San Miguel, thirty-five metres high, in an area of mostly large and extensive valleys. At the foot of the mountain runs the San Miguel River, though it is out of sight of the fortress. In the distance are mountains forming the boundary with Brazil.
(1750) decided that Portugal would keep the line of Castillos Grande, and could strengthen it. Before the signing of the Treaty of El Pardo (1761)
, the governor and captain-general of the captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, Gomes Freire de Andrade, anticipated the consequences for the South and ordered the governor of the Colony of Rio Grande de São Pedro, Colonel Elói Madureira, to immediately dispatch troops to the Laguna region. The Portuguese strategy was to quickly build a fortified defensive line, south of Fort San Miguel, to stop the Spanish invasion in progress, after the conquest of Colonia del Sacramento
in October 1762 by Governor Pedro de Ceballos of Buenos Aires
.
In October 1762, construction of the Fortaleza de Santa Teresa
began nearby to surpass San Miguel as the main Portuguese stronghold. In April 1763, Ceballos took San Miguel and the Spanish improved it considerably into a fully functioning fort. In 1775 engineer Bernardo Lecocq made reinforcement works to the structure of the fort, with a British invasion imminent. With the Treaty of San Ildefonso
(1777), the Spanish were legally confirmed as being in possession of the fort. In 1797, the fort reached its peak as a stronghold when it was strengthened further, again in anticipation of war.
After Uruguayan independence in 1828, the fort was deactivated and abandoned, becoming a ruin over time. By 1891, the fort was covered with plants, forming cracks; in one corner, a mountain palm (Cocos australis) was growing.
, being of lesser quality and irregular finishing due to the lack of granite stones available.
The initial plan had the shape of a rectangular stone polygon with two pentagonal bastions on the shorter sides at the corners, separated by curtains, and topped by topped by watchtowers. By 1740, the base had developed, featuring a star format with four bastions pentagonal vertices in Vauban style, with internal walls and service buildings erected in irregular stonework. There was a chapel on the mound, and on one of its sides, there is a deep well. The perimeter of the walls total 300 metres (984.3 ft).
Grounds
Access to the fort was by a drawbridge over a flooded moat. In one of the slopes of the hill that is covered with living vegetation, there is a notable outpost; facing to the east, it includes a wall with a small window, but its appearance is natural, like a cave or animal shelter.
Reconstruction
However, over the years after the independence of Uruguay, the fort's walls started crumbling as it remained untended. Uruguayans, proud of the historical heritage of the fort of more than 300 years for the founding of Uruguay as an independent nation, decided to get the hill top fort restored in 1927. The history and structure of the fort were thus rescued by a committee composed of Gen. Alfredo R. Campos, General Alfredo Baldomir
and historian Horacio Arredondo, which began operating in 1927. In 1933, the fort was rebuilt according to original plans, using the techniques of the time, restoring the premises of the Command House, the Parliament House, the chapel, kitchen and Troop Barracks. The fort was declared a National Monument of Uruguay in 1937, thereafter to promote the recovery process.
As a protected area, the diverse natural ecosystems has also been retained where native wildlife of Monkeys, birds, capybaras and guazubira are seen in the forests and marshland.
Near the fort is the inn, Hosteria Fortin de San Miguel, a 1945 building built in the Spanish colonial style with 20 rooms and a ballroom that can accommodate 150 people.
Dieciocho de Julio
Dieciocho de Julio or 18 de Julio is a villa in the Rocha Department of southeastern Uruguay. The town lies about west of Chuy along Route 19. It was elevated to the category of "Villa" on 20 June 1961 by decree Ley No. 12.876...
in the Rocha Department
Rocha Department
Rocha is a department in the east of Uruguay. It has natural beauties like Cabo Polonio, Valizas, Santa Teresa. Rocha is well known for its beach towns which swell during the summer holidays...
of eastern Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. It was erected in 1737 by the Portuguese, having abandoned the attempt at building a fort in Maldonado
Maldonado, Uruguay
Maldonado is the capital of Maldonado Department of Uruguay. It is located on Route 39 and shares borders with Punta del Este to the south, Pinares - Las Delicias to the south and to the east and suburb La Sonrisa to the north. Together they all for a unified metropolitan area. East of the city...
. It was constructed of large, heavy stones to create the tall towers (four bastions), thick walls and sturdy ramparts to withstand the onslaught of wars fought against the Spanish invaders which was instrumental in Uruguay evolving as an independent nation.
Geography
The fort is located on Route 19, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south of the Laguna Merin, and 8 kilometres (5 mi) west of ChuyChuy
Chuy is a town in the extreme east of Uruguay, in the Rocha Department, northeast of Montevideo. It lies on the border with Brazil, separated from its Brazilian sister town of Chui only by a shared avenue that serves as the border, and by the Arroyo Chuy to the east...
. Visible after passing Paso de Punta Segra, it is situated on top of the Sierra de San Miguel, thirty-five metres high, in an area of mostly large and extensive valleys. At the foot of the mountain runs the San Miguel River, though it is out of sight of the fortress. In the distance are mountains forming the boundary with Brazil.
History
With a garrison of 100 men, the fort was used by the Portuguese as an observation post of the movements of the Spanish forces. Article XVIII of the Treaty of MadridTreaty of Madrid
Treaty of Madrid may refer to:*Treaty of Madrid , in which France renounced claims in Italy, surrendered Burgundy to Spain, and abandoned sovereignty over Flanders and Artois....
(1750) decided that Portugal would keep the line of Castillos Grande, and could strengthen it. Before the signing of the Treaty of El Pardo (1761)
Treaty of El Pardo (1761)
The Treaty of El Pardo was signed on February 12, 1761 between representatives of the Spanish Empire and the Portuguese Empire.Based on the terms of the treaty, all aspects of the Treaty of Madrid were repealed...
, the governor and captain-general of the captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, Gomes Freire de Andrade, anticipated the consequences for the South and ordered the governor of the Colony of Rio Grande de São Pedro, Colonel Elói Madureira, to immediately dispatch troops to the Laguna region. The Portuguese strategy was to quickly build a fortified defensive line, south of Fort San Miguel, to stop the Spanish invasion in progress, after the conquest of Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento is a city in southwestern Uruguay, by the Río de la Plata, facing Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the oldest town in Uruguay and capital of the departamento of Colonia. It has a population of around 22,000.It is renowned for its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site...
in October 1762 by Governor Pedro de Ceballos of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.
In October 1762, construction of the Fortaleza de Santa Teresa
Fortaleza de Santa Teresa
Fortaleza de Santa Teresa, or Fortaleza Santa Tereza is a military fortification located 36 kilometers south of Chuy and 305 kilometres northeast of Montevideo on Route 9, in the Rocha Department of eastern Uruguay...
began nearby to surpass San Miguel as the main Portuguese stronghold. In April 1763, Ceballos took San Miguel and the Spanish improved it considerably into a fully functioning fort. In 1775 engineer Bernardo Lecocq made reinforcement works to the structure of the fort, with a British invasion imminent. With the Treaty of San Ildefonso
Treaty of San Ildefonso
San Ildefonso is a town in central Spain, the summer residence of the Kings of Spain, where several treaties were signed; each is referred to, in context, as the Treaty of San Ildefonso...
(1777), the Spanish were legally confirmed as being in possession of the fort. In 1797, the fort reached its peak as a stronghold when it was strengthened further, again in anticipation of war.
After Uruguayan independence in 1828, the fort was deactivated and abandoned, becoming a ruin over time. By 1891, the fort was covered with plants, forming cracks; in one corner, a mountain palm (Cocos australis) was growing.
Architecture
Initially designed as a simple defence base, building started on 17 October 1737 by the Portuguese (although the monument itself implies it was built between 1734 and 1737), attributing its construction to the military engineer Brigadier José da Silva Paes and the Portuguese military architect Manuel Gomes Pereira, later replaced by Captain Antonio Teixeira Carvalho. The fort is of smaller proportions than the neighbouring Fortaleza de Santa TeresaFortaleza de Santa Teresa
Fortaleza de Santa Teresa, or Fortaleza Santa Tereza is a military fortification located 36 kilometers south of Chuy and 305 kilometres northeast of Montevideo on Route 9, in the Rocha Department of eastern Uruguay...
, being of lesser quality and irregular finishing due to the lack of granite stones available.
The initial plan had the shape of a rectangular stone polygon with two pentagonal bastions on the shorter sides at the corners, separated by curtains, and topped by topped by watchtowers. By 1740, the base had developed, featuring a star format with four bastions pentagonal vertices in Vauban style, with internal walls and service buildings erected in irregular stonework. There was a chapel on the mound, and on one of its sides, there is a deep well. The perimeter of the walls total 300 metres (984.3 ft).
Grounds
Access to the fort was by a drawbridge over a flooded moat. In one of the slopes of the hill that is covered with living vegetation, there is a notable outpost; facing to the east, it includes a wall with a small window, but its appearance is natural, like a cave or animal shelter.
Reconstruction
However, over the years after the independence of Uruguay, the fort's walls started crumbling as it remained untended. Uruguayans, proud of the historical heritage of the fort of more than 300 years for the founding of Uruguay as an independent nation, decided to get the hill top fort restored in 1927. The history and structure of the fort were thus rescued by a committee composed of Gen. Alfredo R. Campos, General Alfredo Baldomir
Alfredo Baldomir
Alfredo Baldomir Ferrari was an Uruguayan soldier, architect and politician. He served as President of Uruguay from 1938 to 1943 and is most notable for leading Uruguay to support the Allies during World War II....
and historian Horacio Arredondo, which began operating in 1927. In 1933, the fort was rebuilt according to original plans, using the techniques of the time, restoring the premises of the Command House, the Parliament House, the chapel, kitchen and Troop Barracks. The fort was declared a National Monument of Uruguay in 1937, thereafter to promote the recovery process.
As a protected area, the diverse natural ecosystems has also been retained where native wildlife of Monkeys, birds, capybaras and guazubira are seen in the forests and marshland.
Features
Under the administration of the Army, the structure is permanently open to visitors, harbouring a Museum of Military History, which highlights the collection of historical uniforms of the garrison, and the sample of the historical evolution of Army uniforms. A series of watercolors by artist Emilio Regalía are on display.Near the fort is the inn, Hosteria Fortin de San Miguel, a 1945 building built in the Spanish colonial style with 20 rooms and a ballroom that can accommodate 150 people.