Forte de São Sebastião
Terceira, Central, Azores
Forte de São Sebastião Location of the fort on Terceira Island
Coordinates	38°39′06″N 27°12′44″W / 38.65167°N 27.21222°W / 38.65167; -27.21222
Type	Fort

Forte de São Sebastião is a fort in the Azores.

The Fort of São Sebastião, also referred to as Castelo de São Sebastião or simply Castelinho, is located in the port of Pipas, parish of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, in the city and municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, on the south coast of Terceira Island, in the Azores.^[1]

Built on a small hill that forms the extreme ESE of angra bay, in the historic center of the city, this fort was built in 1580 and represented a new concept for coastal protection, it was also the first major maritime fortification in the city. It crossed fires with the Fortress of São João Baptista in Monte Brasil, in defense of the port of Pipas, at the time the most important anchorage and shipyard of the island where they climbed the vessels of the Career of India and the fleets of Brazil, in transit to the Kingdom of Portugal. The importance of his position derived from the ease with which he could militarily close the bay of Angra.^[2][3][4] On Holy Thursday 1641, on March 28, in the context of the revolt against the dominant Spanish presence, it was conquered by the company of ordinances of Ribeirinha, commanded by Manuel Jaques de Oliveira.^[5]

Nowadays this historic fort is a hotel included in the Pousadas de Portugal group which features iconic and historic places of Portugal. It is open for visits every day of the week, visits are free.^[6]

It was built at the suggestion of Isidoro de Almeida and designed by the architect Tomaz Benedito de Pesaro to Italian taste. This fortress was finished in the time of El-Rei D. Sebastião, from which he withdraws the invocation. Demonstration of a new idea of coastal defense, already sensitive and aware of the new functions of port support, could cross fire with São Benedicto (Spanish name for the Fortress of São João Baptista), on the coast of Monte Brasil.

v t e Angra do Heroísmo
Civil parishes	Altares Cinco Ribeiras Doze Ribeiras Feteira Nossa Senhora da Conceição Porto Judeu Posto Santo Raminho Ribeirinha Santa Bárbara Santa Luzia São Bartolomeu de Regatos São Bento São Mateus da Calheta São Pedro Sé Serreta Terra Chã Vila de São Sebastião
Natural landmarks	Algar do Carvão Bay of Angra Bay of Pontas Bay of Salga Bay of Refugo Cabras Islets Furna de Água Galerias da Feteira Gruta Brisa Azul Gruta das Agulhas Gruta das Cinco Ribeiras Gruta das Mercês Gruta do Zé Grande Gruta dos Ratões Lagoa do Negro Mata da Serreta Monte Brasil Parque de Campismo das Cinco Ribeiras Ponta do Queimado Porto das Cinco Ribeiras Prainha Serra da Ribeirinha Serra de Santa Bárbara Serra do Morião ou da Nasce Água Zona Balnear do Negrito
Man-made landmarks	Bettencourt Palace Cais da Alfândega Cais da Silveira Castle of Moinhos Cemetery of Anchors Church of São Mateus da Calheta Convent of São Gonçalo Duke of Terceira Garden Fort of the Açougue Fort of the Cavalas Fort of the Church of São Mateus da Calheta Fort of Greta Fort of Má Ferramenta Fort of the Maré Fort of Negrito Fort of Santo António do Monte Brasil Fort of São João Fort of São João Baptista Forte das Caninas Forte das Cinco Ribeiras Forte da Salga Forte de Santa Catarina das Mós Forte de Santo António Forte de São Fernando Forte de São Francisco Forte de São Sebastião Forte do Terreiro Forte do Zimbreiro Fortress of São Mateus da Calheta Reducto da Salga Miradouro da Amoreira Miradouro da Ponta do Queimado Miradouro da Serreta Miradouro das Veredas Miradouro do Pico das Cruzinhas Miradouro do Pico Matias Simão Municipal Palace/Hall of Angra do Heroísmo Parque Arqueológico Subaquático da Baía de Angra do Heroísmo Parque de Campismo das Cinco Ribeiras Parque Municipal do Relvão (Angra do Heroísmo) Porto das Cinco Ribeiras Redoubt of Dois Paus Redoubt of Três Paus Manor of Madre de Deus Sé Cathedral of Angra do Heroísmo
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