Fort of Lagarteira
Forte da Lagarteira
Viana do Castelo, Alto Minho, Norte in Portugal
One of the barbicans overlooking the coast
Coordinates41°48′55.9″N 8°52′4.5″W / 41.815528°N 8.867917°W / 41.815528; -8.867917
TypeFort
Site information
OwnerPortuguese Republic
OperatorPrivate
Open to
the public		Public
Site history
Built17th century
MaterialsGranite

The Fort of Lagarteira (Portuguese: Forte de Âncora/Forte da Lagarteira) is a medieval fort in the civil parish of Vila Praia de Âncora, municipality of Caminha in the Portuguese Norte, classified as a Property of Public Interest (Imóvel de Interesse Público).

History

The fort was probably constructed between 1640 and 1668, during the Restoration Wars to protect the Portuguese coast from Spanish attacks.[1][2] Its structure followed the models established in the era for the construction of fortresses implanted along the Alto Minho area, which was an advance in military defensive fortifications.[1][2] Engineer Bastos Moreira cites 1690 as the date of its construction, under orders of King D. Pedro II.[1]

On 16 November 1939, the fort was ceded to the Ministério da Marinha (Ministry of the Navy).[1]

Work on the fort by the Direcção dos Serviços de Construção e Conservação (Directorate for Construction and Conservation Services) began in 1955.[1]

On 24 January 1967, by decree the fort was mis-classified as structure in the municipality of Viana do Castelo.[1] Then, on 10 March, the diploma was rectified to correct its effective administrative territory in the municipality of Caminha (47 508; DG, Série I, 59).[1]

Work to improve the stability and consolidate the structure was carried-out in the early 1980s, while the spaces were electrified after 1997 to provide illumination to the site.[1]

Architecture

The fort is located on the right margin of the River Âncora, over a soft cliffside, alongside the port, in an area known as Lagarteira.

Its plan consists of four lateral bastions and accentuated battery, with three of the sides crowned by roof.[1][2] The walls are grounded in the rocky coast, with its extension circled by a curved frame anc crowned by battlement, only interrupted by corner bartizans (crowned by circular roofs over plinths and cannon emplacements along the battery.[1][2] Along the northern bastion is a closed balcony wall (typical of medieval designs) on three canals and with culverts.[1][2] At the centre of the flat facade of the frontispiece is the arched portico surmounted by the coat-of-arms of Portugal and lateral volutes.[1][2]

In the interior, is a small square framed by three constructions covered by rooftile with ramps providing access to adarve and rooftops. The quarter include vaulted ceilings and fireplaces.[1]

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Noé, Paula; Bandeira, Filomena (1998), SIPA (ed.), Forte de Âncora/Forte da Lagarteira (IPA.00004110/PT011602170009) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 19 August 2017
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Oliveira, Cataina (2016). IGESPAR (ed.). "Forte de Âncora" (in Portuguese). Lisbon, Portugal: IGESPAR-Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico. Retrieved 21 August 2018.

Sources

  • Beça, Humberto (1923), Os Castelos de Entre-Douro e Minho (in Portuguese), Famalicão, Portugal{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Guerra, Luís de Figueiredo (1926), Castelos do Distrito de Viana (in Portuguese), Coimbra, Portugal{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Ministério das Obras Públicas, ed. (1956), Relatório da Actividade do Ministério no ano de 1955 (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Moreira, Bastos (1984), O Forte da Lagarteira (Âncora) in Jornal do Exército (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Gil, Júlio (1986), Os Mais Belos Castelos e Fortalezas de Portugal (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Moreira, Rafael (1986), Do Rigor Histórico à Urgência prática: a arquitectura militar in História da Arte em Portugal (in Portuguese), vol. 8, Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 67–85{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Almeida, Carlos Alberto Ferreira de (1987), Alto Minho (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Nunez, Estanislao Fernandez de la Cigoña (1987), Teoría e Proyecto sobre les Fortificationes Militares al Norte del Duero (in Spanish), Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal: Gabinete de História e Arqueologia de Vila Nova de Gaia
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