The Brazilian Fortresses Ensemble comprises 19 locations spread across Brazil. It seems that Brazil is trying to copy the Mexican and Belgian federal approach to give every federal state its own WHS: the fortresses are located in 10 different states. Surely these fortresses can’t be all equally important, so I wonder what ICOMOS will make of this series when it’s up for discussion in 2023.

I ‘visited’ six of them in December 2022, in Recife and in Salvador.

The two forts in Recife are generally open to visitors as they are in use as museums, but I had the misfortune to have planned a visit on the same day as the Brazilian national football team had to play at the World Cup at noon Brazilian time. And I had learned already from earlier matches that Brazilian society then fully shuts down. That meant that I arrived too early for Sao Tiago and that Batista do Brum didn’t open up at all that day. The Dutch West India Company originally constructed both forts, so from a Dutch colonial history perspective, I had especially looked forward to seeing them.

Sao Tiago is now the Recife City Museum, a very recognizable fortress with bastions. It is nicknamed the Five Tips Fort, but it changed shape later from 5 to 4 corners. It was here in 1654 that the Dutch surrendered to the Portuguese-Brazilians after attempting to take over the colony.

Fort De Bruyn (Batista do Brum) lies about 2.5km away, but I wouldn’t recommend walking as the streets of Recife are particularly unpleasant. It lies in a desolate part of the port. Now in use by the Brazilian army, as so many of these forts. Although the museum was closed, the guards let me have a look in the courtyard. My visit was so short that I had the same Uber driver whisk me away - he saw that ride coming probably.

The four forts in Salvador can easily be combined into one visit (there’s a fifth, but it is much further north):

Sao Marcelo Sea Fort: visible from the square next to the classy Art Deco Lacerda elevator in the Upper Town of Salvador. It is fully surrounded by water, though close to the shore. The only circular fort among the 19 selected. Closed to visitors.

About 10km away in the more upscale neighbourhood of Barra, easily reached by an Uber ride, lies Santo Antonio fort. It is now the Bahai Nautico Museum. Open daily, with a 15 R$ fee. A very popular site with tourists, probably because of its iconic black-and-white lighthouse (the first lighthouse in South America, originally from 1698). This is considered the first fortress of Portuguese Brazil.

Sao Diogo Fort can be seen already from Santo Antonio. Also open daily, not much to see inside.

A bit more uphill, only another 500m or so away, lies the Santa Maria Fort. It’s in use by the army but you can have a look around for free. It provides good views of Santo Antonio fort and the beaches in between.  

Now I am not a great lover of the military fortifications category of WHS, but these are particularly underwhelming. Stylistically they don’t have much in common and they are not original works, but adaptations based on colonial constructions. They may have had a role in the history of Brazil (although even a common role among all of them will be hard to define, except for “defending the country”), but their global importance fully evades me.