Luanda — The Angolan Vice-President, Esperança da Costa, while working in the province of Namibe, visited, on Wednesday, Jan 22, the São Fernando Fortress, currently also the Navy, where she was informed about the country's historical cultural heritage.

On the occasion, the director of the National Institute of Historical Heritage, Cecília Gourgel, informed that, in the past, the Fortress was the place to receive agricultural components from the first colony constituted by Portuguese residents in Pernambuco, Brazil, beginning the region's colonization.

She explained that the infrastructure was named São Fernando in honor of the Portuguese Mr. Fernando II, husband of Queen Mrs Matias II.

The director made it known that São Fernando fortress hosted the first mass celebrated in the province, on Nov 1, 1949.

Cecília Gourgel highlighted that the place, among other uses, was used to contain the Dutch invasion and served as a transit point for slave trafficking.

She also recalled that, in the liberation struggle, the place was the scene of the massacre of the Angola children.

"The district commander of the public security police rulled the place until the date of Angola National Independence date 1975," she said.

The director mentioned that the São Fernando Fortress was elevated to historical cultural heritage by order 44 of July 8, 1992.

Currently, the source continued, the area has a dual character, being a naval base and one of the tourist attractions in the land of happiness.

She said that several actions were developed to restore the fortress, highlighting that its maintenance and preservation deserve the interest of the authorities, given its history and relevance.

The Navy base was installed in the Fortress in 1979, at the time functioning as a Command post.

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