FORTE DE SÃO LOURENÇO

Located in the far north of the island, on the current Praça Getúlio Vargas, long known as Ponta da Baleia (Whale Point), the impeccably maintained Forte de São Lourenço boasts an architecture that is reminiscent of that of its cousin in Salvador, Fort São Felipe. Built in 1711 by the Dutch, its strategic location gave it an important role in 1822 during the battles for independence (from Brazil to Portugal).