Abstract
This article studies the Fort La Planchada, located in southern Chile. Considering the nature of this national monument, the study focuses on the analysis and characterization of its construction aspects: design, geometry, materiality and construction techniques; aspects that are part of the poliorcetics (or military art) perspective. From a methodological point of view, using technical historical resources, reconstruction of the fort under study culminated through a comprehensive literature review and associated fieldwork. The art of poliorcetics and construction techniques, as used by major writers of the 17th century about fortifications and their principles, were applied to the original construction of the fort, considering the difficulties and solutions of its time. The characteristics of the original fort and the analysis of successive reparations revealed the existence of three different designs throughout its history. Keywords: fort, La Planchada, Chile, 17th century, characterization.
Highlights
Forcael, Burgos, Cartes, Opazo, Salinas | Characterization of a 17th century fort: Case study of the Fort La Planchada, Chile
The construction process of the fort La Planchada was influenced by the Poliorcetics — i.e. art of attacking and defending strongholds (Alvial, 2003), the influenced by Vitruvius (Nieto and Checa, 2000), and 17th century construction principles
According to the construction techniques of the time, the largest ashlars were placed at the bottom of the wall, a procedure that can be confirmed in the fort La Planchada
Summary
Concepción city, the second largest metropolis in Chile, and currently located 500km to the south of the capital (Santiago city), was founded by the Spanish conqueror Pedro de Valdivia in 1550 (Barros, 2000), on the coast of the bay called Penco (original location of Concepción city). In 1574, Governor Melchor Saravia Bravo, modified the construction for military purposes (D’Wartelet, 1863) These first three fortifications are the earliest records in the city’s history, revealing the important need to fortify its buildings and protect its citizens (Concepcion during 1550 and 1751, was the capital of Chile). In 1838, Dumont D’Urville, French naval officer, explorer and botanist, reached Concepción to visit and draw the old city.
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