São Lourenço (fortress)
Original title: São Lourenço (Fortaleza de)
History of the São Lourenço fortress in Funchal, begun as a simple bastion under the fourth and fifth captains-donatary and completed as a fortress by the reign of D. Sebastião. The entry also covers its heraldic emblems, a 1635 inscription and the loss of its statue of São Lourenço in 1911.
Construction, emblems and later history
It was originally a simple bastion. Its construction seems to have begun in the time of the fourth donatary, João Gonçalves da Câmara, and the works continued by order of the king during the governorship of Simão Gonçalves da Câmara, the fifth donatary, as the royal decree (alvará) of 11 September 1542 shows. When the French corsairs invaded in 1566, only the bastion existed, but by the reign of King Sebastian the fortress had been built, although it still looked different from how it appears today.
The São Lourenço fortress (Fortaleza de São Lourenço) displays on its east tower the arms of Portugal and the emblematic armillary sphere of Manuel I. When Dr Azevedo wrote his notes to ‘Longing for the Homeland’ (Saudades da Terra), the following inscription could still be seen above the door of the now destroyed chapel of the saint who gave his name to the fortification we are describing:
D. V. N. D. 16 3 S
According to Dr Azevedo, this inscription seems to mean: DEO VOTA NOSTRO DOMINO, 1635, that is, DEDICATED TO GOD OUR LORD, IN THE YEAR 1635.
The arms of Portugal and the sphere of Manuel I were removed from the fortress after the proclamation of the Republic, but some four years ago they were returned to their place, since it had been recognised, albeit belatedly, that there was no reason at all to hide them from public view. What could not be restored to the fortress was a statue of St Lawrence that stood in a niche above the main door, on the Largo da Restauração, for it was torn down and broken by some navy sailors who were in Funchal in 1911 (1921).
Near the spot where the meteorological station stands, there was for many years a chestnut tree that flowered and bore fruit every year and gave its name to one of the fortress’s bastions.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 04-
A royal alvará ordered the works on the São Lourenço bastion in Funchal to continue.
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French Huguenot corsairs under Montluc, guided by Gaspar Caldeira, landed at Praia Formosa and sacked Funchal, storming the fortress of São Lourenço, profaning the cathedral and the Santa Clara convent, whose nuns fled to the Curral; Gaspar de Braga died resisting them. The attack, during the captaincy of Francisco Gonçalves da Câmara, prompted new coastal fortifications.
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The chapel of São Lourenço was built inside the Funchal fortress, which then took its name; the date is inscribed over the chapel door.
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Navy sailors tore down and broke the statue of São Lourenço over the gate of the fortress of São Lourenço in Funchal.
Place
Places mentioned · 03- Fortress of São Lourenço · Subject
Funchal. The fortress that is the subject of the entry.
The São Lourenço fortress in Funchal was begun as a simple bastion under the fourth and fifth captains-donatary and completed by the reign of D. Sebastião; its main entrance faces the Largo da Restauração. It later served as a palace and housed the Funchal meteorological station, and the republican flag was raised there on 6 and 7 October 1910. The Elucidário also records its heraldic emblems, a 1635 inscription, an old chapel of São Lourenço and the loss of its statue of the saint in 1911.
- Funchal
City where the fortress stands and where navy sailors were stationed in 1911.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
- Largo da Restauração
Funchal. Square facing the fortress's main gate, where the statue of São Lourenço stood.
Square in Funchal at the main gate of the São Lourenço fortress, where the statue of São Lourenço stood. It was opened on the site of the demolished large theatre under D. Álvaro da Costa Macedo, and its name recalls the restoration of the Constitutional Charter on 5 June 1834. Major Medeiros addressed the troops there at the proclamation of the Republic.
People
People mentioned · 06- Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo1825–1898
Annotator of the Saudades da Terra who recorded and interpreted the 1635 inscription over the fortress chapel.
- João Gonçalves da Câmara1414–1501
Fourth captain-donatary of Funchal, under whom construction of the São Lourenço bastion apparently began.
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King of Portugal in whose reign the fortress had already been built.
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King of Portugal whose emblematic armillary sphere is displayed on the fortress's east tower.
- Simão Gonçalves da Câmara1579–1580
Fifth captain-donatary of Funchal, during whose rule the works continued by royal order of 1542.
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Saint who gave his name to the fortress; his statue over the main gate was destroyed in 1911.