The chronicler Gaspar Frutuoso indicates that, in 1552, the military engineer Isidoro de Almeida came to S. Miguel to deal with matters related with the construction of the fortress of São Brás (1).
In 1567, the Italian engineer Tommaso Benedetto stayed for nearly a month in the archipelago, visiting the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, Faial and São Jorge to study the sites and harbors that should be fortified (2).
In 1569, São Brás floor plan by Tommaso Benedetto was sent to the Island together with a royal charter (3).
In 1580, São Brás fortress was deemed appropriate to serve its purpose (4).
In 1582, a Spanish garrison of nearly 200 headcounts was installed in the fortress, complying with the principle of the shared defense of two independent kingdoms under a common crown. Its commander, Lourenzo Noguera, noted the lack of essential facilities, such as barracks and a cistern.
In 1582 the building of the cistern began in the center of the courtyard, measuring 10 meters length, 5 meters width and 5 meters of vault maximum height, which enabled a storage capacity of around 200.000 liters of water.
In 1582, D. Álvaro de Bazán, Marquis of Santa Cruz and Fleet Admiral of Spain, after the naval battle of Vila Franca do Campo that took place on June, 26th, recommended that “(…) aun que hecha no esta enluzida ni embetumada, ade tener cuydado el dicho capitan de solicitar el dicho conde la haga acauar luego para que el mês de Enero que viene se hincha de agua (…)”.
In 1583, Agustin Iniguez informed Philip I (II of Spain) that the cistern construction was not yet complete “(…) sino fuera por ser la piedra que della se há sacado tan fuerte e mucha (…)”.
Around 1590, Gaspar Frutuoso mentioned that Ponta Delgada had “(…) an impregnable fortress, provided with heavy and fiery artillery, and many war ammunitions, and inside (apart from a well to serve people), there is a cistern that takes one thousand and two hundred barrels and usually holds eight hundred of good and safe water, that is daily whipped with the cauldron they use to take it out”.
In 1812, within the context of the modernization works undertaken at São Brás fortress by the captain of the Corps of Royal Engineers, Francisco Borges da Silva, rainwater piping into the cistern was improved, with the construction of cisternais with sand to purify water.
(1) Gaspar Frutuoso, Saudades da Terra, Livro IV.
(2) License dated from March, 8th 1567, by the Regent Cardinal D. Henrique, Livro Velho do Tombo da Câmara Municipal de Ponta Delgada, fl. 262v, Ponta Delgada Public Library and Regional Archive
(3) Livro Velho do Tombo da Imposição, fl. 342v., Ponta Delgada Public Library and Regional Archive.
(4) License dated from April, 8th 1580, Livro Velho do Tombo da Câmara Municipal de Ponta Delgada, fl. 210v, Ponta Delgada Public Library and Regional Archive.
