Fortress of Santo António da Ponta da Mina
FORTRESS OF SANTO ANTÓNIO DA PONTA DA MINA
Written by Marco Ramerini, photos and information by James Leese
According to a source dated 1815, this was the situation of the Portuguese forts on the island of Principe, in particular in the Bay of San Antonio, where almost all the boats anchored: the two main defenses of the bay were the fortress of Ponta da Mina and the fortress of Santa Ana.
The fortress Ponta da Mina was built on a promontory that forms the southern tip of the port, the importance of this fortification was essential because nearby passing and were at anchor the ships arriving in port. From the fortress of Ponta da Mina, which was composed of two batteries ("Bateria Real" and "Bateria do Principe"), dependent also the Redoubt "Nazareth", the low stronghold "Praça Baixa de Nossa Senhora" and the battery "São João".
The fortress consisted of two batteries, the "Bateria Real" which was the upper one and the "Bateria do Principe" located below. The "Bateria Real" was situated very high on the harbor about 500 feet high, its shape was semicircular with the convex side facing the sea, it was armed with 16 pieces of bronze artillery of various calibers (from 3 to 14), there was also a small depot of gunpowder and on high ground was the place of residence of the garrison, besides this was a round shaped depot of gunpowder (like a windmill) and of poor construction.
The "Bateria do Principe" was west of the "Bateria Real" and was reached by a path that went down in a zig zag starting from the "Bateria Real". The "Bateria do Principe" was the most important for the defense of the port, because it was only 200 feet above sea level, it was a square shaped, stone and lime, 33 palms large and 120 palms long, the height of the inside wall was 9 palms, on the north side had five iron pieces of artillery with a caliber of 6, on the west side were two pieces of the same caliber, and on the south side was a single piece of caliber 4, while on the east was the mountain where was the "Bateria Real".
At 50 toezas east of the "Bateria Real" and on a height of 35 feet above the sea was the redoubt called "Praça Baixa de Nossa Senhora", this fortification had three pieces of iron artillery with a caliber of 3 and it was very important for the defense of the port.
On a nearby hill overlooking the fortress of Ponta da Mina on the side of "sudoeste" was a redoubt called "Nossa Senhora da Nazareth", who is described as the most interesting military work of the island of Principe. It was because of his lack that the French easily conquered the island in 1706 and 1709. The redoubt had two bronze cannons with a caliber of 4 and a moat with a drawbridge.
This redoubt command all the fortifications of the island: a shot of espingarda were situated in fact the "Bateria Real", the "Bateria do Principe" and the "Praça Baixa de Nossa Senhora".
A shot of espingarda to "oeste" from the fortress of Ponta da Mina was another battery called São João where there were two iron cannons with a caliber of 6.
This description agrees with what was found by James Leese, who is studying the fortifications of the island, the fort of Ponta da Mina was the main fort of the area and served as the main defense on the side of the sea, another fort was on the opposite side of the bay at Ponta Santana (Santa Ana), the place was visited by James Leese, and currently there are only visible remains of a stone wall. To confirm the existence of a fort on the Ponta de Santana is the testimony of some locals that some guns were found on this site.
On the site indicated by the map as Ponta Forte, James Leese has found remains of what he suspected to be the premises of a garrison, although there are clear traces that the area was used for the processing of cocoa. During the research in the area of the fort of Ponta da Mina were found 34 iron guns, some of which ship's guns.
Old view of the island of Principe, the bay of the port and the Fortaleza da Ponta da Mina (left)
Map of the Island of Principe, the bay of Santo António and the Fortaleza da Ponta da Mina
Canons of Ponta Da Mina, Fortaleza da Ponta da Mina, Principe island
Lower Fort, Fortaleza da Ponta da Mina, Principe island
Lower fort looking towards the Ammo store, Fortaleza da Ponta da Mina, Principe island
Lower fort looking from upper fort, Fortaleza da Ponta da Mina, Principe island
