CANNONS AT THE MONTE FORT, MACAO澳門大炮台的大炮
The article examines the material and military evolution of the Fort of São Paulo do Monte, today known as the Monte Fort, in Macau, with a specific focus on its artillery armament ("cannons at the Monte Fort"). The central argument maintains that the reading of the cannons—their origin, typology, a...
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| Published in: | Review of Culture |
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| Format: | Articles |
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Instituto Cultural de Macau
April 2007
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| Online Access: | https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40022/3715 |
| Summary: | The article examines the material and military evolution of the Fort of São Paulo do Monte, today known as the Monte Fort, in Macau, with a specific focus on its artillery armament ("cannons at the Monte Fort"). The central argument maintains that the reading of the cannons—their origin, typology, and spatial distribution—allows for the reconstruction of distinct phases of fortification and the reconfiguration of threats, articulating the role of the Jesuits, military authorities, and defensive transformations of the nineteenth century. Methodologically, the author undertakes a descriptive and historiographical analysis based on documentary evidence and contextual observation of the remaining structures, supplemented by technical data on the construction materials of the walls and by the classification of the cannons currently preserved (cast iron, smoothbore, muzzle-loading), approximately dated to 1860. Among the main conclusions, the continuity of the defensive system stands out: although the fortification was reinforced from 1840 onward to confront incursions originating from the Chinese mainland, the full replacement of the artillery park would only occur around 1870. Thus, the cannons of the Monte Fort are interpreted as remnants of the final modernizations of that period, also integrating into a broader ecosystem of similar pieces in other fortifications of Macau. |
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| ISSN: | 1682-1106 |