Fortaleza do Pico

Under Philippine rule (Spanish Habsburg rule over Portugal, 1580–1640), a castle was begun on the Pico dos Frias (‘the Frias’ peak’) for maritime defence and to command the city. The first works were completed in 1632, as the date above the outer gate shows, and building continued until 1640, as a stone tablet records: ‘The governor Luís de Miranda Henriques Pinto built the third of the bastion of São Paulo and almost all of the curtain wall (cortina, the defensive wall of the city) that joins the bastion of São João, and the cistern with its rooms and guardhouse cut into the cliff, and the ravelin of the gate and the four houses’.

The bastions were completed in the period of the Restoration, as was the chantry (capela) of São João Baptista in the first stronghold, which gave the castle its name.

The 1st master gunner (condestável) of this fortress was Francisco de Sousa, in 1624, with an annual salary of 24$ and two pipas of wine.

John IV created the post of lieutenant of the Fortress of the Pico (‘peak’), to which Benedito Catalão was appointed, and in 1751 there was also the post of capitão-cabo (local militia commander responsible for coastal defence), held by Rodrigo da Costa Almeida.

In 1770 the vagrant boys of Porto Santo (‘holy harbour’) were sent to learn trades in the workshops of this fortress, which included tinsmithing, blacksmithing, Flanders tinplate work, gunsmithing and gunstock-making. These workshops expanded greatly in 1802 under the supervision of the sergeant-major (sargento-mor, a field officer ranking as major), and three muskets were made there with stocks of different woods from the island, for the instruction of Their Royal Highnesses. (Livro das ordens, fol. 6.) In the great flash flood (aluvião) of 1803 all the families left homeless were sent to the Fortress of the Pico, which filled with campaign tents pitched on the esplanades.

In 1833 it was renamed Forte de São Miguel, but in 1834 it took back its old name as soon as the Miguelite (supporter of the absolutist King Miguel) government was overthrown.

The fortress enclosure, in the form of a citadel, covers an area of 2,750 square metres and stands at an altitude of 111 m.

It has a large vaulted cistern cut into the rock above the main battery, measuring 18 m long by 6 wide and 10 high to the crown of the vault.

The Fortress of the Pico is one of the places from which the majestic panorama of the city and harbour of Funchal can most easily be enjoyed.

The Fortress of Nossa Senhora da Conceição do Ilhéu (‘Our Lady of the Conception of the Islet’). The Governor’s order to build this fortress, on an isolated rock to the west of Funchal bay, dates from 1642 (Archive of the Municipal Council, vol. 6, fol. 66), but building did not begin until 1656. In 1670 it had a captain of gunners, who was ordered to be paid 10$ a year for oil to light the soldiers’ quarters.

In 1682 the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição was ordered to be built, and we have a record of the 1st chaplain, a post held by Father Manuel de Andrade at a salary of 18$ a year.

In 1698 Simão Fernandes Forte was appointed the first master gunner (condestável), the garrison consisting of 12 gunners paid 30 réis (old Portuguese money of account; 1$000 = 1,000 réis, 1:000$000 = one conto = 1,000,000 réis) a day. At that time the fishermen were obliged to carry provisions to the Islet without any payment; but if the sea prevented them, in extreme cases a rope was thrown ashore to relieve those cut off.

It bears the following inscription: ‘This fortress was built by the governor and captain-general (capitão-general, military governor of Madeira) Bartolomeu de Vasconcelos da Cunha... 1654. At this time the superintendent of the royal treasury (provedor da fazenda) was Francisco de Andrade, who oversaw the expenses of the fortification and greatly assisted this work’.

It ceased to be isolated when the Molhe da Pontinha (‘little point breakwater’) was built, which abuts on it.

It has a signal station and a harbour light. (See Molhe da Pontinha.)

The Castelo do Pico (‘castle of the peak’), Porto Santo. Repeated pirate raids on the island of Porto Santo led Philip II to see to its resettlement. The worst was the raid of 1619, in which almost the entire population perished or was carried off into captivity, leaving only 18 men and 7 women. He ordered a fortress to be built on the steep, stony Pico (‘peak’) that overlooks the town (vila), and had residential houses, storehouses and a cistern put up on the small plateau of the knoll. It was a place of refuge rather than of war, although it was suitably armed with artillery.

The post of constable was created in 1624 and given to Francisco de Sousa, with an annual salary of 24$ and two pipas of wine, paid by the royal revenue office (almoxarifado) of Porto Santo.

Martim Mendes de Vasconcelos, governor of the island, took a keen interest in the revival of Porto Santo, and the bricks from which the vaults of the Castle were made were produced on that island.