It is also known as the Fortim de Santa Maria (Portuguese: Small Fort of Saint Mary).

[1] It retains much of its original structure of the 17th century, including its broad, stone curtain walls.

It, as well as ten other forts in Salvador, are assets of the Secretariat of Patrimony of the Union (SPU) (Portuguese: Secretaria do Patrimônio da União in Bahia.

The SPU stated in 2020 that it is unable to maintain the fort; it has remained closed to the public since 2001.

An NGO was established to manage the fort, but the venture proved unsuccessful.