Inauguration of the 195th anniversary of the Battle of August 11, 1829, the Exhibition on Liberalism opens to the public at the Fort of Sta. Catarina, in Cabo da Praia

The military infrastructure of the Santa Catarina Fort, in Cabo da Praia, is now open to the public after being transformed into an exhibition center on the episodes of the Portuguese Civil War, with particular emphasis on the events of the Battle of August 11, 1829.

The space was inaugurated this Sunday, August 11, on the day that marked the 195th anniversary of the historic battle fought in the bay of what was then known as Vila da Praia, an event that deserved due recognition from the Praia da Vitória City Council.

“Today we are inaugurating the Santa Catarina Fort Exhibition Center, precisely on August 11, a date that is so important for Praia da Vitória, and which motivated this year’s choice of theme for the Praia Festivities, as part of the 195th-anniversary celebrations of the Battle of August 11, 1829,” said the Mayor of Praia da Vitória.

The Fort of Santa Catarina is considered by Vânia Ferreira to be a “building of high historical value” for the municipality, whose “revitalization” will take the form of its “transformation into a place for locals and tourists to visit”, where there will be various exhibits alluding to the events that took place on Terceira Island during the Portuguese Civil War, especially those of the historic Battle of August 11.

The mayor of Praia da Vitória also said that the project to install this exhibition at the Santa Catarina Fort was the result of a commitment previously made between the Municipality of Praia da Vitória and the Regional Government of the Azores. The protocol was signed on-site by Vânia Ferreira and the Regional Secretary for Education, Culture and Sports, Sofia Ribeiro.

“It is with great satisfaction that we have signed the protocol that allows us to make the Exhibition Centre of the Fort of Santa Catarina a distinctive tourist and historical asset in our municipality,” emphasized the Mayor of Praia da Vitória.

Vânia Ferreira explained that the project began at the end of 2020 and that, since then, “all the necessary steps have been taken to make it a reality”, carrying out “various processes of surveying, researching, and studying information about the Santa Catarina Fort”, as well as the “line of defense built at that time along the coast, namely the forts”.

“We want to make the Santa Catarina Exhibition Center accessible to different audiences, involving the school community and possibly even the academic community,” said the Prairie mayor.

“The Santa Catarina Fort Exhibition Center is an important strategic asset for Praia da Vitória. This project, in addition to strengthening the tourist attractiveness of the municipality, is also synonymous with a measure for the defense and protection of Praia da Vitória’s historical and military heritage,” concluded the Mayor.

At the end of her speech, Vânia Ferreira thanked the Regional Secretariat for Education, Culture and Sport for its support, through the Regional Directorate for Culture, as well as the Angra do Heroísmo Museum, which provided some of the pieces that make up the exhibition. He also praised the commitment of the staff who led the long process that led to the opening of the Santa Catarina Fort to the public.

The exhibition

As the Prairie mayor explained during the ceremony, this exhibition includes a timeline that presents the events that took place in the country, addressing the national and regional contexts, between the Napoleonic invasions and the granting of the Royal Charter.

It also recounts the awarding of the titles “Mui Notável” and “Vitória” to the then Vila da Praia, by Royal Charter, by Queen Dona Maria II.

There is also a panel with a detailed account of the entire battle that took place in Praia Bay on August 11, 1829, as well as various articles related to these events, acquired as part of the research process.

There was room to highlight the military component of the time and, to this end, a Brown Bess rifle and its bayonet used during the Liberal Struggles on Terceira Island were donated by the Angra do Heroísmo Museum.

Alongside this collection, you’ll find replicas of the military uniform used at the time, as well as a touch screen that provides the public with all the information gathered during the study phase.

The Santa Catarina Fort Exhibition Center also has a visitor support service, contributing to a more complete and enriching experience.

The Exhibition Center will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, between 09h00 and 12h00 and 13h00 and 16h00.

From a Press Release by the Mayor’s Office

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks to the Luso-American Education Foundation for their support of PBBI, including Filamentos