Santa Luzia Fort

The Santa Luzia Fort is located on the south side of the beautiful town of Elvas, and constitutes nowadays an important example of the 17th century Portuguese military architecture.

Elvas, located next to the border with Spain, has been since early times an important strategically defensive point. This structure was built in 1641, right after the Restoration of the Portuguese Independence from the Spanish domain. Matias de Albuquerque signed the project that was later redesigned by Sebastião Frias on a star shape, and afterwards altered by Hieronimo Rozzeti.

This Fort was part of an important defensive structure which includes the São Mamede, São Pedro, Piedade and São Francisco Forts, integrating the Elvas defensive lines.
This defensive system was able to resist the violent attack and three months siege that the Spanish Army made in 1659.

The Santa Luzia Fort presents a square plan with around 150 meters, and is constituted by several Vauban style bastions, ravelins, crowns and other military pieces. In the centre is the small fort where is located the Governor’s House.
Nowadays this Fort also houses the interesting Santa Luzia Fort Military Museum.