High on the hillside, and also known as St John the Baptist Fort, this was part of Funchal's defences against attack by pirates. It is thought to have originally been the eastern gate of the city, which was converted into a fort in the first half of the 17th century. In the 20th century the fortress was handed over to the Navy who installed their communications centre there. It became the Funchal Radio-Telegraph Station and had so many antennae that the locals referred to it as Pico Radio. Classified a monument of public interest in 1943, it has a museum room and is still occupied by the Portuguese Navy.