Principe da Beira

Coordinates: 12 ° 26 ′  S , 64 ° 25 ′  W

Exterior view of the fortress walls

Principe da Beira is a place in the Brazilian state of Rondônia located on the lower reaches of the Rio Guaporé not far from the confluence in Río Mamoré . It belongs to the municipality of Costa Marques .

The place is best known for the star-shaped fortress of the same name, built between 1776 and 1783 . This has a ten meter high wall and four bastions , which were originally equipped with 14 cannons each. However, only one of these cannons has survived. The total circumference of the fortress wall is about one kilometer. Inside the wall are the ruins of a chapel, crew quarters, service buildings and a prison. The fortress is one of the only two fortresses that Portugal had ever built in the interior of Brazil and was used to secure the border against the Spanish colonial empire . In 1889 the military use of the fortress was given up.

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• Regis St. Louis, Andrew Draffen: Brazil . Lonely Planet 2005, ISBN 1-74104-021-3 , p. 666 ( excerpt )

Web links

Commons : Forte Príncipe da Beira  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• REAL FORTE PRÍNCIPE DA BEIRA - RONDÔNIA. O maior forte do Brasil! - Description with numerous photos (Portuguese)
• Photos do Real Forte Principe da Beira - photos of the fortress and museum