Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte
Encyclopedia
The Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte is located on the most eastern tip of the Island of Mozambique
which sits of the coast of Mozambique
in Africa
. The Chapel is situated outside the Fort São Sebastião
from which it can be reached through a gate.
Built by the Portuguese
in 1522, the chapel is considered to be the oldest European building in the southern hemisphere. It is also considered to be one of the finest examples of Manueline
vaulted architecture in Mozambique.
Island of Mozambique
The Island of Mozambique lies off northern Mozambique, between the Mozambique Channel and Mossuril Bay. It has a population of around 14,000 people and is part of Nampula Province.-History:...
which sits of the coast of Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. The Chapel is situated outside the Fort São Sebastião
St. Sebastiao
The Fort of São Sebastião on the Island of Mozambique is the oldest complete fort still standing in sub-Saharan Africa. Constructions by the Portuguese began in 1558 and it took about 50 years to complete....
from which it can be reached through a gate.
Built by the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1522, the chapel is considered to be the oldest European building in the southern hemisphere. It is also considered to be one of the finest examples of Manueline
Manueline
The Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and representations of the discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral...
vaulted architecture in Mozambique.