Beco de Noronha Resort - Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha

Historical Summary

The occupation of Fernando de Noronha is almost as old as the continent. Due to its geographic position, the archipelago was one of the first lands located in the New World, registered in nautical letter in the year of 1500 by the Spanish mapmaker Juan de La Cosa and in 1502 by the Portuguese Alberto Cantino, by the name of ‘Quaresma’.

Its discovery, in 1503, is assigned to the navigator Américo Vespúcio, participant of the second exploratory expedition through the Brazilian coast, commanded by Gonçalo Coelho and financed by the noble Portuguese Fernão de Loronha, new Christian, render of Pau-Brasil extraction.

“The paradise is here”, said Vespúcio when boarded that desert island in 1503, August 10th, right after the shipwrecked of the main ship that compounded the expedition. The letter he wrote, known as LETTERA, is the first document related to the island, which called it “São Lourenço”. This letter describes “infinite water and infinite trees; docile birds that would come to eat in people’s hands; a very good port that served well for the whole crew”. Due to the discovery, in 1504, it was donated to Fernão de Loronha, who had financed the expedition. It was the first hereditary province of Brazil, though it was never occupied by its done.

Abandoned for more than two centuries and located in the route of the great navigations, it was boarded by many people, being temporarily occupied, in the 17th century, by the Dutch (who used to call it “Pavonia”) and in the 18th by the French (who used to call it “Ile Delphine”).

This place vulnerable to invasions motivated the definite occupation by Portugal, through the province of Pernambuco, in 1737, with the construction of a defense system that had ten fortifications – “the largest fortified system of Brazil in the 18th century” – amidst the ‘Nossa Senhora dos Remedios’ fort. Most of these forts are still standing and the ones that are not still have architectonic evidences.

In the same period, the archipelago was changed to a common penitentiary, for prisoners condemned to long sentences. These prisoners were the labor that built all the edified patrimony and the highways that linked link the villages and the forts. The cruel regimes even had solitary confinements and stone beds, in which the prisoner could not even roll over.

Because of the disciplinary measures, in order to avoid escapes and hiding places, since that time the original vegetation was wiped out, changing the archipelago’s climate. For this reason, only in some places of the island the original vegetation can be seen, such as in Ponta da Sapata, in the coast of Morro do Pico and in the belvedere of Sancho, Baia dos Golfinhos (Dolphin’s Bay) and Praia dos Leões (Lions’ Beach).

Scientific Interests

Renowned scientists visited the archipelago in different times, like the naturalist Charles Darwin, father of the Evolution of Species Theory, in 1832. All of them were attracted by the huge biodiversity and raised data about the environment, describing it in memorable works. Also, in the 19th century, artists as the French Debret and Lassaily registered human occupation in pictures.

Military Period

In 1938, the archipelago was conceded to the Union, to install a Political Penitentiary. In 1942, during the II World War, a Federal Military Territory was created, together with the Mixed Detachment of War and the alliance with the North American marine, which installed a Support Base composed of about 300 men.

In this period, a super population of more than 3000 expeditionaries built pre-molded houses to shelter them. From 1942 to 1988, the island was administrated by the military: Army, until 1981; Aeronautics, until 1986; and the EMFA, until 1987. Still a federal territory, it was passed on to MINTER, having its only civil Governor. In this period, between 1957 and 1965, there was a new American presence in the Observation Post of guided missile.

In 1988, by the Constitution power, it was reintegrated to the State of Pernambuco, becoming today a state district. Also in 1988, a Marine National Park was created, allowing the coexistence, in a 26 square kilometer, of PARNAMAR/FN and the Environmental State Protection Area.

On December 13th, 2001, UNESCO considered the archipelago a WORLD NATURAL PATRIMONY SITE, with the diploma being sent on December 27th, 2002. In 2003, we celebrated the 500th anniversary of the entrance of Fernando de Noronha in the history of mankind. 500th anniversary of the first arrival in the island, its description by one of the greatest navigators in history, Americo Vespucio.

Cultural Patrimony

Vila dos Remédios

Even though it was discovered in 1503 and donated as a Hereditary province in 1504, the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha remained abandoned for more than two centuries, receiving quick visits of navigators from all over the world.

In the 17th century, the Dutch remained there for 25 years. Very little remains from this time, besides parts of bulwarks of the current Fortaleza dos Remédios (where they built a stronghold, in 1629) and the lands of agricultural experiments.

The reports from this time talk about stockrooms, dwellings, commodities post, corral, plantations, a small Calvinist reformed Congregation, among other constructive evidences for such a long occupation period. There are the “Elisabeth Gardens”, where cultures were experimented, mainly anile. And the space of this Dutch “Village” is exactly where VILA DOS REMÉDIOS was built, in the following century, right after the definite occupation by Portugal, through the province of Pernambuco.

The strategic conditions of this place were evident: close to a water flow called Mulungu Stream and to other headwaters; easy access to Enseada do Cachorro, which was eventually used as anchorage; the headwater of potable water later turned into Bica do Cachorro (Dog tap); the direct access to the new fort (Remédios). This seemed to be the ideal place for the implantation of the main Village.

Urban Development

The urban sketching of Vila dos Remédios, with its planned structure, was composed of two courtyards (two spatial units). In the upper space, there was the administration, the civil power, and, in the lower, the church, the religious power. The whole area was paved in stones and the buildings were always of large tonnage. It is important to emphasize that one of the main functions of the village, in its origins, was to support the penitentiary system, also built in this period. Strategically, the Village was not supposed to be seen from the sea.

Vila dos Remédios appeared as the main Village’s urban core. The administration had been located there since the XVIII century, with the public buildings, the penitentiary lodging and workplaces for the prisoners; the church, the command square or the weapon’s square, residence houses, stock-room, schools, the hospital and the store-rooms to store the agricultural production and foodstuff from the continent.

The transportation system arose, paved along the Island as well, using the model “cabeça de nego” (black head), always worrying about the pluvial water drain and the soil maintenance, procedure adopted in the streets and courtyards that define the village.

For about two hundred years this core was used and maintained in its original structure, only with small changes and inclusions. In 1938, when the archipelago was handed to the Union, the Village was architectonically extremely well conserved.

Great interferences and disfigurations took place mostly after 1942, with the occupation that resulted from the II World War. Then, part of the ancient urban face was lost, making room for the influence of pre-molded constructions because it was more practical. They became a reference in this technology.

Archeological Patrimony

Fernando de Noronha was only definitely occupied in 1737, after the French were evicted. They had taken control of the island a year before. Considering the danger this strategically located archipelago represented to Brazil, in the Atlantic voyage, Portugal, through the Province of Pernambuco, decided to fortify it conveniently. In order to do this, fortifications were lifted in all strategic spots, where ship lands where possible, avoiding, this way, navigators landings, as it was happening since the 16th century.

Ten forts were built, nine of them being in the main island (the only one inhabited and just one in the rocky islet, situated in front of Santo Antonio Port and its role was specifically to defend the main natural anchorage.

Among them, only Nossa Senhora dos Remédios Fort was tumbled down by IPHAN, in 1961, leaving the other defense system models out of the process. Only after Fernando de Noronha “Documental Rescue” was implanted, the tumble down order was directed by its coordination.

Learn about the archeological sites of the main Fernando de Noronha fortifications:

Santo Antonio Fort

Initiated in 1737, this construction has an irregular four-sided shape. According to the original sketch, it was composed of 10 artillery pieces for the defense of Santo Antonio small bay, a natural anchorage.

São Pedro do Boldró Fort

No one knows the exact year this fort was built, shaped as a trapezium. It had three lines for the defense of the coast path called “inside sea”, between Morro do Pico and Morro dos Dois Irmãos.

Nossa Senhora dos Remedios Fort

It is the biggest fortification of all 18th century’s defense system implanted by the Portuguese. It is located on a hill, between Santo Antonio Port and Praia do Cachorro (Dog’s Beach). A bridge above Mulungu creek and a road, which goes along the hill’s flank until its bulwarks, defined its implantation. This fort was built above an ancient Dutch redoubt, raised in 1629. It sheltered correctional facilities in the time of common and political jail, as well as soldiers during the II World War.

Nossa Senhora da Conceição Fort

Initiated in 1737, a square in the sketch, this construction used to defend the small bay of Meio beach and Conceição beach. In the end of the 19th century, over the ruins of the fortification, a hospital was built.

Reduto Sant'Ana

This fort, built in the mid 18th century, was deactivated in the end of the same century to shelter the Marine Headquarters. A ramp going down to Praia do Cachorro facilitated its use as a port.

São João Batista dos Dois Irmãos Fort

Fortification built in the mid 18th century, in the shape of a trapezium, with artillery for six pieces.

São Joaquim do Sudeste Fort

It was built in 18th century; it had three lines with six pieces for the defense of Sudeste bay.

São José Fort

It was built between the years 1758 and 1761; its role was to prevent landing on the secondary islands (Rosa, Rata, do Meio and Sela Gineta), as well as in Santo Antônio Bay.

The House next to Memorial Noronhense

A solid building, of which there are reliable images. It served as the residence of the command staff of the common jail that operated on the island. After renovated, it allowed the rearrangement of the church’s courtyard scenery, improving the urban area in front of it.

Bathing House (Casa de Banho)

On the bank of Mulungu stream, water holes were used by the carceral community and, from 1942, by the military, who built a kind of local communitarian laundry. There was also, in the 19th century, a public bath, with appropriate house, intended for the jail employees.

Legends

Throughout the centuries, the loneliness and isolation of those who lived in Fernando de Noronha awakened their fantasies, which resulted in the creation of legends that crossed times, about seductive women, threatening figures, punishment, myths, death figures, etc.

The analysis of these myths reveals the various historical and political moments of the island, leaving a “trace of truths” in the fantasy that generated them. Most of these legends data back to the Common Jail time, possibly from the 17th century up until today. They symbolize the fears and challenges of the prisoner, who were so far from the continent.

These stories are part of the island cultural consciousness, having been registered in different moments by researchers from different states. They survive until today because of people’s memory, popular collection of songs and poetry.

This whole universe was collected, analyzed, systematized and became available for the public with the publishing of the work Fernando de Noronha: Legends and Picturesque facts, by Marieta Borges Lins e Silva, in which the most important legends are emphasized.

These myths were also highlighted in the carnival of 1995, with Estação Primeira de Mangueira (An organized Samba group), which presented the plot Fernando de Noronha: Its Legends and Fantastic Possibilities. This Rio de Janeiro Samba group took Marieta Lins e Silva book as a reference to turn into Samba each story orally preserved and registered as the result of research. The Carnival man Ilvamar Magalhães was responsible for the plot creation and all the elements added to the avenue parade. Check here Mangueira’s Samba-plot about Fernando de Noronha.

Source: www.fernandodenoronha.pe.gov.br

Beco de Noronha Resort.
Phone/Fax: (81) 3619-1568 e 3619-1569.
E-mail: pousada@becodenoronha.com.br
© Photos João Vianna

Fernando de Noronha