Sagres Fortress

Sagres - Vila do Bispo

Information

The construction of Sagres Fortress was ordered by Henry the Navigator on the 15th century, in order to provide some assistance to seamen in Sagres region.

The Sagres region started to gain strategic importance on the Portuguese kingdom: this was an important spot for commercial watercrafts that did the connection between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic North, and also for the proximity with the North of Africa.

The original structure of this Fort has been changed all over the centuries. Only in the end of the 18th century the Fort is considered to be finished. At that time Sagres Fort was the centre of a strategic defensive line, over the western coast of the Algarve that counted with other fortitudes such as Baleeira, Beliche, São Vicente, Carrapateira and Arrifana.

With a magnificent view over the ocean, the inlet of Mareta and São Vicente Cape, one can visit the vestiges of the walls (and the old village built before these walls) from the 18th century, and a giant windrose with a diameter of more than 40m(131ft) outlined on the ground.

On the 1990’s some conservation and restoration works are made in the Fort, some of them quite controversial, creating an Exhibition Centre, a Multimedia Centre and shops for promotion and advertisement of cultural products and also a coffee shop, in order to generate goods for the self-maintenance of the Monument.


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