The Cannons of Faial

Built in the early twentieth century, the area in which ten cannons keep watch was never considered a fortress, but rather a local watch against invaders, or gazebo for visitors. It is a simple recreation of a military battery which includes ten eighteenth century English cannons. The cannons belonged to Mr. João Catanho Meneses (1854-1942) who was a famous politician and lawyer who served under the Progressive Party of the early twentieth century. The cannons were originally from British ships which were eventually dismantled. The cannons were left abandoned along the northern coast of Madeira’s coastline until the Meneses Family decided to collect them all and gather them up in their estate. It became a tradition to fire the cannons during the festivities dedicated to Our Lady of the Nativity. In due time, the government forbade the firing of such weapons due to the fact that it was regarded as a security threat.  The cannons were eventually turned over to the jurisdiction of the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs and recognized as a ‘cultural heritage’ by the local government in 1996.
As a tourist and local attraction the fortress area provides breathtaking views of a large stretch of the coastline, the center of Faial and, on clear days, Porto Santo, the Serra da Penha d' Águia and the northern part of Ponta de São Lourenço.