São Paulo da Gamboa Battery

The São Paulo da Gamboa Battery (Portuguese: Bateria de São Paulo da Gamboa) is a military fortification located in Salvador, Bahia in Brazil. It is also known as the Fort of São Paulo da Gambôa (Portuguese: Forte de São Paulo da Gambôa), or simply the Fort of Gambôa (Portuguese: Forte da Gamboa). The battery was built in the early 17th century as part of a series of military fortifications in Salvador by Jean Massé (Portuguese: João de Massé), a French military engineer. The battery was built as an extension of the Fort of Saint Peter; it functioned to defend the city against Dutch and French attacks. The battery was listed as a historic structure by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) in 1938. Despite its listing as a federal historic structure, it is not under the care of any public agency or institution. The battery is in an advanced state of disrepair, occupied by informal settlements, and is below a slope prone to landslides.