Historical document: Croquis da fortificação da Fortaleza Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres, 1790. Source: Acervo IPHAN/PR. Cited in: CORRÊA, Sandra Rafaela Magalhães; MÜHLBAUER, Clarice Futuro. Conjunto da Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres e do Morro da Baleia: Ilha do Mel – Paranaguá-PR. Brasília: IPHAN, 2021, p. 32.
Long before tourism, ecological trails and contemporary occupation, Ilha do Mel already held strategic importance along the southern coast of colonial Brazil. A rare military sketch dated 1790, preserved in the archives of IPHAN, reveals how the island was observed, defended and integrated into the maritime protection system of the Bay of Paranaguá more than two centuries ago.
The historical drawing portrays the Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres — also known as Fortaleza dos Prazeres — one of the most important colonial fortifications on the Paraná coastline. Built in a privileged position overlooking the entrance to Paranaguá Bay, the fortress played a fundamental defensive role during the Portuguese colonial period, helping monitor navigation routes, protect the harbor and control maritime access to the region.
More than an artistic illustration, the 1790 croquis is a technical military document. It reflects the engineering logic, territorial observation and strategic coastal planning used by Portuguese authorities in the eighteenth century. The sketch demonstrates how natural geography, elevated terrain and visual surveillance points — including the nearby Morro da Baleia — were incorporated into the defensive architecture of the Atlantic coast.
The document also reinforces the idea that Ilha do Mel is far more than a scenic destination. The island represents a living historical landscape where biodiversity, navigation history, military engineering and cultural identity intersect. Its natural beauty cannot be separated from its historical role in the occupation, defense and interpretation of the Paraná coast.
For Ilha do Mel Nativo, preserving and sharing historical records such as this one is part of a broader mission: connecting environmental conservation with cultural heritage and scientific awareness. Protecting Ilha do Mel means protecting not only its Atlantic Forest ecosystems, wildlife and coastal landscapes, but also the historical documents, knowledge systems and collective memories that help explain the importance of this territory across generations.
Historical archives like this contribute to studies involving colonial cartography, military architecture, coastal defense systems, navigation history, Atlantic Forest cultural landscapes, environmental education and heritage preservation.
Today, the Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres remains one of the most significant historical landmarks on the Paraná coast, symbolizing the connection between nature, memory and the maritime history of Brazil.
Access the full IPHAN historical document
Ilha do Mel Nativo
Atlantic Forest Pollinator Observatory • Environmental & Cultural Initiative • Paraná Coast, Brazil
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