The Fort of Bom Sucesso (Portuguese: Forte do Bom Sucesso) is located slightly to the west of the Belém Tower in Belém in the municipality of Lisbon, in Portugal. It now houses the Museu do Combatente (Combatant’s museum) and the Monument to Overseas Combatants.

History

Construction of the fort, which follows a polygonal outline on the right bank of the River Tagus, was started in 1780 under the direction of General Guilherme de Vallerée. A residence for the governor of the fort was added soon after, within the perimeter. On the basis of an inscription over the main entrance, it appears that the fort was completed in 1802.

In 1808, during the occupation of Lisbon by French forces commanded by Marshal Junot, the fort was connected to the Belém Tower by an artillery battery, known as the left flank battery. In 1815, after the French had been defeated, a right flank was added.

By 1836 the fort was in ruins and it was effectively abandoned until 1870. It underwent extensive modernization between 1870 and 1874, after which it received two Krupp 28 cm Haubitze L/12 howitzers, and became one of a number of forts, known as the Campo Entrincheirado (Entrenched Field) of Lisbon, that formed a defensive perimeter that followed the boundaries of Lisbon at the time. Later, its defence consisted of five 120mm Schneider pieces. During the failed coup attempt of 18 May, 1925, an attempt was made to attack the fort.

During the Portuguese Colonial War (1961 – 1975) the Fort of Bom Sucesso served as the headquarters of the Military Postal Service. After the Carnation Revolution on 25 April 1974, which overthrew the authoritarian Estado Novo regime, it hosted the Command of the Military Intervention Group, a body set up by the Revolutionary Council to maintain law and order. Later it was the headquarters of the Association of 25th of April, an organization that brought together the members of the military who initiated the Carnation Revolution.

The Combatant’s Museum

On January 13, 1999, the fort was officially handed over to the Portuguese League of Combatants, which manages the museum. It offers a permanent exhibition indoors, as well as three external areas with equipment related to the various branches of the Armed Forces. The permanent exhibition covers World War I, the colonial campaigns (known in Portugal as the overseas campaigns), and peace missions. The museum also has social areas, conference and projection rooms, and a bar.

Forte do Bom Sucesso

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Belém Tower (Portuguese: Torre de Belém, pronounced [ˈtoʁ(ɨ) dɨ bɨˈlɐ̃ȷ̃]), officially the Tower of Saint Vincent (Portuguese: Torre de São Vicente) is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers and as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. It was built during the height of the Portuguese Renaissance, and is a prominent example of the Portuguese Manueline style, but it also incorporates hints of other architectural styles. The structure was built from lioz limestone and is composed of a bastion and a 30-metre (98.4 ft), four-storey tower.

Since 1983, the tower has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Jerónimos Monastery. It is often portrayed as a symbol of Europe's Age of Discoveries and as a metonym for Portugal or Lisbon, given its landmark status. It has incorrectly been stated that the tower was built in the middle of the Tagus and now sits near the shore because the river was redirected after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. In fact, the tower was built on a small island in the Tagus river near the Lisbon shore.

History

In the late 15th century, King John II had designed a defence system for the mouth of the Tagus that depended on the fortresses of Cascais and São Sebastião (or Torre Velha) in Caparica on the south side of the river. These fortresses did not completely protect the river's mouth, and further protection was required. In his "Chronicle of John II" (Chronica de D. Joao II), which appeared in 1545, the author Garcia de Resende affirmed the king's opinion that the defences of Lisbon were inadequate, and that he had insisted on building fortifications along the entrance to the River Tagus to supplement the existing defences. To this end, he ordered the "making of a strong fort", but died before any plans were drawn. King Manuel I of Portugal revisited the proposal twenty years later and ordered the construction of a military fortification on the northern margin of the Tagus at Belém. In 1513, Lourenço Fernandes wrote a letter to his friends referring to the king's intention of constructing a tower near Restelo Velho, having determined it to be essential.

The project was started on a basaltic rock outcrop a short distance from the riverbank, using some of the stone being collected to build the Monastery of Santa Maria de Belém. The tower was designed by military architect Francisco de Arruda, named "Master of the works of the Belém stronghold" by King Manuel, and in 1516 he began receiving 763 blocks and 504 stones for its construction, delivered by Diogo Rodrigues, treasurer for the project. As construction progressed, a man-of-war called the Grande Nau (Great Ship), a heavily armed, 1000–ton ship continued to guard the estuary at the mouth of the Tagus until the fort's completion.

The building was finished in 1519, just two years before Manuel's death, and Gaspar de Paiva was temporarily stationed to command the fortress; his commission was made permanent on 15 September 1521, when he was appointed the first Captain-General, or alcalde, and the fortress was named the Castle of St Vincent (Castelo de São Vicente de Belém), in honour of the patron saint of Lisbon.

In 1571, Francisco de Holanda advised the monarch that it was necessary to improve the coastal defences in order to protect the kingdom's capital. He suggested the construction of a "strong and impregnable" fort that could easily defend Lisbon and that the Belém Tower "should be strengthened, repaired and completed...that it has cost so much without being completed". D'Holanda designed an improved rectangular bastion with several turrets. In 1580, after a few hours of battle, the garrison stationed in the tower surrendered to Spanish forces under the command of the Duke of Alba. After this defeat, the dungeons of the tower served as a prison until 1830. It was also during the last quarter of the 16th century that the construction of the Philippine Barracks began. A rectangular two-storey space was constructed over the bastion, giving the tower the visual profile that it has retained to the present, with sculpted crosses of the Order of Christ and domed turrets.

In 1589, Philip I of Portugal ordered Italian engineer Friar João Vicenzio Casale to build a well-defended fort to be constructed in place of the "useless castle of São Vicente".[9] The engineer submitted three designs, proposing that the bastion would be surrounded by another bastion of greater dimensions, but the project never materialized.

A 1633 codex for the House of Cadaval was inserted into one of the floors, in one of the arches of the barracks, and in the four largest arches at the top of the southern façade. Similarly, a reference to the year 1655 was inscribed on a plaque placed on the northern wall of the cloister, which certified the tower's function as a customs control point and for navigation along the Tagus; vessels were obliged to pay a tax as they entered the harbour, which was imposed incrementally.

Between 1780 and 1782, under the reign of Maria I of Portugal, General Guilherme de Valleré constructed the Fort of Bom Sucesso, whose battery was connected by a western corridor wall to the tower. When French forces invaded Lisbon during the Peninsular War, detachments of their troops were quartered in the tower from 1808 to 1814. After the French retreated, Lord Beresford advised that coastal artillery batteries should be reinforced along the Tagus, and specifically noted that stronger batteries should be placed on the sides of the tower's bastion, with carts placed to better protect the soldiers, since the walls were very low.

King Miguel I (1828–1834) used the dungeons to imprison his liberal opponents, while another level was used as a custom house for ships until the duty on foreign ships was abolished in 1833. The tower received military upgrades in 1589 and 1809–1814.

During the reign of Maria II, Almeida Garrett protested the site's degradation and under the persuasion of the Duke of Terceira, renovations were begun by military engineer António de Azevedo e Cunha. He demolished the Philippine barracks and extended revivalist elements in 1845–46 (such as the armoured merlons, the balustrade of the veranda along the southern façade, the laced fascia in the cloister and the niche with an image of the Virgin and Child).

In 1865–67 a beacon was installed on the southeast terrace of the building and a telegraph service was started, while nearby a gas factory was built, producing smoke that prompted many protests. The first moves to preserve and rehabilitate the tower began in the latter part of the 20th century. First, the tower was transferred to the Ministry of Finance in 1940, which undertook small conservation works. Then the military quarters on the battlements were removed and the inner cloister was built. The architectural landscape designer António Viana Barreto began a three-year project in 1953 to integrate the tower with the local shoreline. In 1983 the site hosted the 17th European Exhibition on Art, Science and Culture, and various projects involving the building were undertaken, among them covering the cloister with a transparent plastic cupola. In the same year the Belém Tower was classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

In the 1990s, the property was transferred to the Instituto Português do Património Arquitectónico (forerunner of IGESPAR), which began a full restoration of the building that lasted from February 1997 to January 1998; this included reinforcing the tower and bastion, reinforcing the south balcony supports with stainless steel rods and epoxy resin, treating the mortar joints, and general structural cleaning. The statues of Saint Vincent of Saragossa and the Archangel Michael received the same treatment. In 1999 the project received the Europa Nostra award for its restoration of the exterior. The Belém Tower was added on 7 July 2007 to the registry of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.

Architecture

The Belém Tower is situated on the northern bank of the Tagus River in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém, municipality of Lisbon, accessible at the western end of the Avenida de Brasília by a small bridge. Nearby are the Jeronimos Monastery to the east and the Forte do Bom Sucesso to the west, while to the north are the tower Governor's residence, the old Governor's residence for the Bom Successo fort, and the Chapel of São Jerónimo.

The tower is isolated along the riverbank, between the dock of Bom Sucesso and Pedrouços, on a basaltic outcropping of rocks belonging to the geomorphological volcanic complex of Lisboa-Mafra. Although various guides have claimed that the tower was built in the middle of the Tagus, and now sits near the shore after the 1755 earthquake redirected the river, they are incorrect. The Portuguese Ministry of Culture and the Institute of Architectural Heritage indicate that the tower was constructed on a small island near the bank of the Tagus, opposite the shore of Restelo. As development extended the shoreline progressively, more and more of the northern bank crept southwards into the Tagus, the tower becoming integrated into the riverbank over time.

The Belém Tower was built from a beige-white limestone local to the Lisbon area and thereabouts called Lioz. The building is divided into two parts: the bastion and the four-story tower located on the north side of the bastion.

The 16th-century tower is considered one of the principal works of the Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline style. This is especially apparent in its elaborate rib vaulting, crosses of the Order of Christ, armillary spheres and twisted rope, common to the nautically inspired organic Manueline style.

Exterior

The building's plan consists of a rectangular tower and an irregular, hexagonal bastion, with elongated flanks, that projects south into the river. It is basically a large articulated vertical space resting on a horizontal stone slab, covered by masonry enclosures. On the northeast angle of the structure, protected by a defensive wall with bartizans, is a drawbridge to access the bulwark, decorated in plant motifs, surmounted by the royal coat of arms and flanked by small columns, complemented with armillary spheres. The Manueline armillary spheres appear at the tower's entrance, symbolizing Portugal's nautical explorations, and were used on King Manuel I's personal banner to represent Portuguese discoveries during his rule. The decorative carved, twisted rope and elegant knots also point to Portugal's nautical history and are common elements of the Manueline style.

On the outside of the lower bastion, the walls have spaces for 17 cannons with embrasures affording a view of the river. The upper tier of the bastion is crowned by a small wall with bartizans in strategic places, decorated by rounded shields with the cross of the Order of Christ encircling the platform. King Manuel I was a member of the Order of Christ, thus the cross of the Order of Christ is used numerous times on the parapets. These were a symbol of Manuel's military power, as the knights of the Order of Christ participated in several military conquests in that era. The bartizans, cylindrical turrets (guerites) in the corners that served as watchtowers, have corbels with zoomorphic ornaments and domes covered with ridges unusual in European architecture, topped with ornate finials. The bases of the turrets have images of beasts, including a rhinoceros. This rhinoceros is considered to be the first sculpture of such an animal in Western European art and probably depicts the rhinoceros that Manuel I sent to Pope Leo X in 1515.

While the tower is predominantly Manueline in style, it also incorporates features of other architectural styles. It was built by the military architect Francisco de Arruda, who had already supervised the construction of several fortresses in Portuguese territories in Morocco. The influence of Moorish architecture is manifested in the delicate decorations, the arched windows, the balconies, and the ribbed cupolas of the watchtowers.

The tower has four storeys, with fenestrations and battlements, the ground floor being occupied by a vaulted cistern. On the first floor, there is a south-facing rectangular door with arched windows on the east and north, and bartizans in the northeast and northwest corners. The southern part of the second floor is dominated by a covered veranda with a loggia (matacães), consisting of an arcade of seven arches, resting on large corbels with balusters. It is covered by laced stonework to form a porch, and its sloped roof ends in a sculpted twisted rope. The eastern, northern and western walls are occupied by double-arched enclosures, with the northeast and northwest corners occupied by statues of Saint Vincent of Saragossa and the archangel Michael in niches. The third floor has twin windows in the northern, eastern and western façades, with balusters, interspersed by two armillary spheres and large relief with the Royal coat of arms. The final floor is encircled by a terrace with shields of the Order of Christ, and a northern arched door and eastern arched window. The terrace is enclosed by a low wall with colonnaded pyramidal merlons with bartizans in the four corners. A similar terrace above this floor offers a view of the surrounding landscape.

Interior

The interior of the bastion, with a circular staircase at the north end, has two contiguous halls with vaulted ceilings supported by masonry arches, as well as four storage lockers and sanitary facilities. On the ground floor bunker, the floor is inclined towards the outside, while the ceilings are supported by masonry pilasters and vaulted spines. Gothic rib vaulting is evident in this casemate, the rooms of the tower and the cupolas of the watchtowers on the bastion terrace. Peripheral compartments on the edges of the bunker allow the individual cannons to occupy their own space, with the ceiling designed with several asymmetrical domes of various heights. The ancillary storerooms were later used as prison cells.

Two archways open to the main cloister in the north and south, while six broken arches stretch along the eastern and western parts of the cloister, interspersed with square pillars in the bastion interior, with gargoyle facets. The open cloister above the casemate, although decorative, was designed to dispel cannon smoke. The upper level is connected by a railing decorated with crosses of the Order of Christ, while at the terrace the space has rising columns topped with armillary spheres. This space could also be used for light calibre infantry. This was the first Portuguese fortification with a two-level gun emplacement and marks a new development in military architecture. Some of the decoration dates from the renovation of the 1840s and is Neo-Manueline in style, like the decoration of the small cloister on the bastion.

On the southern portion of the cloister terrace is an image of the Virgin and Child. The statue of the Virgin of Belém, also referred to as Nossa Senhora de Bom Successo (Our Lady of Good Success), Nossa Senhora das Uvas (Our Lady of the Grapes) or the Virgem da Boa Viagem (Virgin of Safe Homecoming) is depicted holding a child in her right hand and a bunch of grapes in her left.

The tower is about 12 metres (39 ft) wide and 30 metres (98 ft) tall. The first-floor interior contains the Sala do Governador (Governor's Hall), an octagonal space that opens into the cistern, while in the northeast and northwest corners are corridors that link to the bartizans. A small door provides access via a spiral staircase to the subsequent floors. On the second floor, the Sala dos Reis (King's Hall) opens to the loggia overlooking the river, while a small corner fireplace extends from this floor to the third floor fireplace in the Sala das Audiências (Audience Hall). The ceilings of all three floors are covered in hollow concrete slabs. The fourth floor chapel has a vaulted rib ceiling with niches emblematic of the Manueline style, supported by carved corbels.

Belém Tower

The Belém Palace (Portuguese: Palácio de Belém), formally the National Palace of Belém, (Portuguese: Palácio Nacional de Belém), is the current official residence of the President of the Portuguese Republic, the head of state of Portugal. Located in the Belém District of Lisbon, the palace's main façade fronts the Praça Afonso de Albuquerque, facing the Tagus River. A former residence of the Portuguese Royal Family, the Belém Palace complex is made up of various buildings, wings, courtyards, and gardens, built variously from the 18th to 21st centuries.
History
The site was originally part of the Outeiro das Vinhas, a property that fronted the beach of the Tagus River. D. Manuel of Portugal, a diplomat and poet who was the son of the 1st Count of Vimioso, acquired the land in 1559, naming it Quinta de Belém and constructing a building with three salons and two atria. By the mid-17th century the property was linked to a scion of the Royal Court, then transferred to the possession of the Counts of Aveiras and occupied by a convent.
The land was later acquired by King John V, who ordered its reconstruction in 1726. It encompassed two parcels, the Quinta de Baixo and Quinta do Meio, which the monarch purchased from João da Silva Telo, 3rd Count of Aveiros for 200,000 cruzados, in addition to the contiguous farmlands of the Counts of São Lourenço, with the objective of constructing a summer home. Although it is unclear when the first building was completed, by 1754 Queen Maria Anna of Austria had already died in the residence.
During the aftermath of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, it was determined that there was superficial damage and no fear of collapse, but a number of repairs were completed between 1755 and 1756. Under supervision of the architect João Pedro Ludovice, the Casa Real de Campo de Belém (Belém Royal Country House) or Palácio das Leoneiras also received attention. Work included replacing tile and repairs to the greenhouses and stables. Similarly, around 1770, architect Mateus Vicente de Oliveira undertook reconstruction of the total estate. This was the beginning of several small projects within the residence that included the painting of the Sala das Bicas, the replacement of azulejo tiles along the southern veranda (1778), and construction of the birdhouses (1780). Initial construction of the Neoclassical horse training arena, designed by the Italian Giacomo Azzolini, began in 1828. The space is now occupied by the National Coach Museum.
After 1807, with the departure of the royal family for Brazil, the furniture and artwork were removed from the palace, and the building was abandoned until the end of the Liberal Wars.
By 1839, the palace was once again used to hold royal balls, and served as the temporary residence for visiting royal dignitaries. In 1840, during extensive renovations of the Palace of Necessidades, the royal family returned to Belém and resided in the palace during that decade. The Infanta Antónia was born there in 1845. By 1850, renovation of the grand ballroom was complete, permitting Queen Maria II to receive Portuguese society, and in September 1861, the Infanta was married there to Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern. In November 1861, the Infante Augusto died, followed by the Infante João on Christmas. A succession of deaths forced the Royal Family to abandon the palace, and it once again became a residence for visiting dignitaries. This change in purpose was accompanied by small repairs to the building, as well as the installation of gas lines and new lighting.
In 1886, after his marriage to Princess Amélie of Orléans, King Carlos ordered renovations of the palace to prepare it as the royal residence. These were completed under the direction of architect Rafael de Silva Castro; the interior was decorated by Leandro Braga, Columbano and João Vaz. The palace was the birthplace of the Prince Royal Luís Filipe in 1887 and Manuel in 1889.
Between 1902 and 1903, remodelling of the interior spaces was undertaken by Rosendo Carvalheira, with the additional construction of a visitors' house on the north walk of the Pátio das Damas to receive delegations of foreign dignitaries. This addition was inaugurated with the official visit of the King of Spain, Alfonso XIII, to Portugal at the end of 1903. The following year, the training stables were separated from the palace and destined to shelter the National Coach Museum.
By a royal decree published in the Diário do Governo (4 September), the palace ceased to operate as a royal residence, and passed to the Treasury for the "accommodation of heads of state, princes and foreign missions that come on an official visit to Lisbon, leaving for that purpose by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs".
Republic
Following the 5 October 1910 Revolution, the Secretaria-Geral da Presidência da República (Secretary-General of the Presidency) moved into the palace on 24 August 1911, as article 45 of the Constitution prohibited the Chief of State from occupying a residence on properties held by the State. A loophole in the document allowed the authorization on 28 June 1912 of a government edict to rent an annex alongside the Palace for 100,000 réis per month to house the first President Manuel de Arriaga, who eventually preferred to live in his local residence and work at the palace. This policy of renting the space continued throughout the period of the First Republic.
After the assassination of President Sidónio Pais in 1918 at the Rossio railway station, the ex-President's body lay in state in the Sala Luís XV (Luís XV Hall) until his burial.
The official residency law for the President of the Republic was promulgated on 24 March 1928. It specified that the President and his family would be permitted to reside in one of the national palaces. At the time of the promulgation, General Óscar Carmona decided to reside in the Citadel of Cascais, leaving the Palace of Belém for ceremonial affairs, official meetings, receptions and other formal occasions. In anticipation of the projected visit of the King of Spain, the Palace underwent several renovations, although the visit did not materialize. In 1936, the main staircase was expanded by António Lino and finished by Cristino da Silva.
During the term of General Francisco Craveiro Lopes (1951–1952) the Arrábida wing was remodelled to serve as the residence of the President of the Republic.
In 1967, the property was finally classified as an IIP - Imóvel de Interesse Público (Property of Public Interest), by decree 47-508, published in the Diário do Governo on 24 January 1967. The Palace was closed in 1969 to repair damage from the earthquake of that year.
After the Carnation Revolution, the palace was made the headquarters of the Junta de Salvação Nacional (National Salvation Junta). It also experienced the traumas of the new democracy with the counter-revolutionary attempts by António Spínola and Francisco da Costa Gomes. As in previous administrations, Belém Palace underwent new renovations in the Arrábida wing in order to accommodate the demands of the President and his family. While some Presidents resided in Belém, others such as Mário Soares, Jorge Sampaio, Aníbal Cavaco Silva and the current President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa used it merely as a workplace, living in their private residences during their terms.
Between 1980 and 1985, the main dining hall was used to exhibit gifts received by the Chief of State. In 1998, the construction of the Centro de Documentação e Informação (Documentation and Information Centre), was begun by architect João Luís Carrilho da Graça, the winner of a public competition promoted by the Secretary-General of the Presidency.
President Jorge Sampaio commissioned painter Paula Rego for a series of paintings to decorate the walls of the Palace chapel in 2002. The painter eventually gave her works entitled "Ciclo da Vida da Virgem Maria e da Paixão de Jesus Cristo" (Cycle of Life of the Virgin Mary and the Passion of Jesus Christ". The early exhibitions and Presidential initiatives would lead to the inauguration on 5 October 2004 of the Presidential Museum (Portuguese: Museu da Presidência da República). Similarly, the King D. Luís I Painting Gallery was the setting for the 2005 exposition, Do Palácio de Belém, which presented the history of the palace and its architecture, as well as an overview of artistic works that have been displayed there.
On 10 March 2006, a Ministry of Culture dispatch reclassified the Palace as a National Monument to include the palace, gardens, Museum of the Presidency and other annexes.
Architecture
Exterior
Belém Palace is a "L" shape building, with the main space located in a rectangular three-volume space in the south façade. This front, which faces the formal gardens, presents a space of five bodies, flanked by wedges surmounted by pinnacles. A combination of Mannerist and Baroque styles, has a central body with floor level arcades, over a colonnade gallery surmounted by a triangular pediment decorated in stucco.
The two outside blocks are farther in front then the main building, forming a terrace delimited by balusters and accessible by lateral staircases. The top of these lateral walls are topped by twelve panels of monochromatic azulejo tile. On the veranda are 14 azulejo panels representing figures from mythology, with many showing the "Labours of Hercules", including "Plutão e Cérbero" (Pluto and Cerberus), "Vénus" (Venus), "Neptuno" (Neptune), "Hércules" (Hercules), "Hércules e a égua de Diómedes" (Hercules and the Mares of Diomedes), "Figura masculina" (Masculine figure), "Figura masculina com arco e flechas" (Masculine figure with bow and arrow), two panels of "Figura feminina" (Female figure), "Hércules e a ave de Estinfália" (Hercules and the Stymphalian birds), "Figura masculina com machado" (Masculine figure with hoe), "Hércules e a serpente de Ládon" (Hercules and the serpent Ladon), "Hércules e o touro de Creta" (Hercules and the Cretan Bull), "Hércules e a Hidra de Lerna" (Hercules and the Lernaean Hydra). There are also two rows of tiles with geometric patterns and acanthus leaves.
The eastern façade, which fronts the Pátio das Damas (Lady's Patio), features two levels of windows and portal. The western wing is served from the Pátio dos Bichos (Animals' Patio), where a gated entrance and ramp provides access to the principal staircase via an elevated space that overlooks the Jardim da Cascata (Falls Garden). The space was resurfaced and re-paved with stone at the beginning of the 21st century.
Immediately in front of the palace, fronting the Rua de Belém, are the formal gardens. Of an 18th-century design, they consist of a terrace enclosed by a balustrade adorned with statues and intersecting pattern of hedges around three circular ponds. In the Jardim da Cascata (in the northwest corner of the grounds) there are three pavilions (greenhouses) of capstone topped by a decorative railing, with vases and statues. Inserted within a rounded-arch is a waterfall featuring a statue of Hercules.
In the central pavilion are six azulejo panels forming a figurative composition, completed in the 19th century. The central composition is in black and white, while the trim is polychromatic: yellow, green and manganese plant ornamentation. These panels include: an "Outdoor Scene", "Two female figures and a male figure in the park, with fruit basket", "Standing female figure gives an apple to a male figure", a "Backgammon game", "Music in the Garden" and "Music in the Garden, with harpsichord and violin".
Interior
The main space is highlighted by a linear sequence of rooms along the south elevation, dominated by the Sala das Bicas, a grand vestibule paved in marble. The ceiling is panelled with an allegorical composition of carved flora and 18th-century polychromatic azulejo ashlars, completed in the last quarter of that century. In the space one can observe along one wall two round marble fountains with lion heads, which give the space its name. In addition, the space is surrounded by eight jasper busts on plinths, representing Roman emperors.
In the Sala Dourada or Salão de Baile (Golden Room or Ballroom, respectively) the ceiling is panelled with a central allegory of the Roman Empire, with murals and crown moulding medallions in a neo-Pompeian motif.
The Sala Luís XV (Louis Quinze Room), also panelled, is highlighted by a series of paintings surmounted two shields of the House of Braganza and Orléans.
The narrow rectangular chapel, with smooth walls and wood panelling, is occupied by a Neoclassical retable in gold-leafed wood, with a painting by André Reinoso representing the "A Adoração dos Pastores" (The Adoration of the Shepherds). The vaulted ceiling is decorated with a profusion of decorative motifs in a "ferronneire" similar to those found in the Sala Dourada. On the walls are paintings by the artist Paula Rego, representing the "Ciclo da Vida da Virgem Maria e da Paixão de Jesus Cristo" (Circle of Life of the Virgin Mary and the Passion of Christ).

Belém Palace

O Palácio dos Condes da Calheta corresponde hoje às casas e quintas pertencentes, em meados do século XVII, a D. João Gonçalves da Câmara, quarto conde da Calheta.
No reinado de D. José, funcionaram no edificio as secretarias de Estado e o Arquivo Militar, tendo-se também processado neste palácio os interrogatórios dos implicados no atentado contra o rei em 1758.
Actualmente o palácio pertence ao Jardim-Museu Agrícola Tropical, sucessor do Museu Agrícola Colonial, ali instalado desde 1916. O edifício sofreu algumas alterações e, já no século XX, teve obras durante a Exposição do Mundo Português e, mais recentemente, na década de 1960.
É uma construção sóbria, típica dos séculos XVII-XVIII, desenvolvendo-se em dois andares constituídos por dois corpos desnivelados e irregulares em altura. A fachada sul, virada para o jardim, apresenta um corpo extremo assente sobre a Calçada do Galvão a que se segue um maior, mas mais recuado, com uma varanda corrida de ferro no primeiro andar, à frente de cinco janelas.

Calheta Palace

The Fort of São Sebastião de Caparica (Portuguese: Forte de São Sebastião de Caparica) also known as the Tower of São Sebastião (Portuguese: Torre de São Sebastião) or Fortress of the Old Tower (Portuguese: Fortaleza de Torre Velha) is a medieval fortification located in Monte da Caparica, civil parish of Caparica, in the municipality of Almada, in the Portuguese central region of Península de Setúbal.

The fortress of Torre Velha is one of the more important examples of Renaissance-era military architecture, at a time when it served as part of an integrated system of defensive artillery outposts at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century, in particular with the bulwarks of Cascais (1498) and São Vicente (1512).

History

The Old Tower, situated on the southern margin of the Tagus River, was commissioned by King John II, on the same site of the older Fort of Caparica (which was built in the reign of his father, King John I). The fort received its name Torre Velha mostly because the structure was considered "older" than the Tower of São Vicente (Portuguese: Torre de São Vicente), which later be known as the Tower of Belém. Its original structure, from the sketches of Garcia de Resende, comprised a tower and bulwark, similar to model developed years later in the Fort of Santiago da Barra (Viana do Castelo) and Tower of Belém (Lisbon). Defenses along the estuary and port of Lisbon were based on a system of three towers, which were refurbished with modern artillery (including the Bulwarks of Cascais and the São Vicente), which cooperated with the naval artillery (which patrolled the waters of the river) to enforce military and fiscal authority.

In 1571, following similar initiatives taken at several forts along the Portuguese coast, King Sebastian ordered the remodeling of the tower. At the time, the fort was named in honour of São Brás (Saint Blaise), the patron saint of artillerymen in the Portuguese tradition, and changed to honour the young King (lost at the Battle of Alcácer Quibir) and Saint Sebastian.  Under the responsibility of Afonso Álvares, the new project transformed the fort into a massive fortress, becoming referred to as the Fortress of São Sebastião da Caparica (Portuguese: Fortaleza de São Sebastião da Caparica).  Between 1580 and 1640 it was referred locally as the Torre dos Castelhanos (Tower of the Castilians), where it was remodeled structurally to meet the requirements of the Philippine Dynasty.

Between 1640 and the 18th century, a branch of the Távora dynastic clan in Almada served as governors of the Old Tower, taking particular attention to the remodel the structures during the 17th century.

By 1692, the fundamental aspects of the fort were established; the 15th century towers, the walls along the east and south, the three bulwarks, governor's residence, chapel (consecrated to Saint Blaise and Saint Sebastian), integrated coat-of-arms and staircase along the southeast facade.  In the second half of the 18th century, there are indications that the terrain (and buildings) along the river were consolidated. These aspects were recorded in the Coleção Casa de Cadaval (Cadaval House Collection) in the Torre do Tombo archives.

Information from 1767 showed the Old Tower (now known as São Sebastião) on a mountain, opposite the Tower of Belém in the north, acting as a crossfire zone with Belém.

In a report written on 9 September 1794, by Guilherme Luís António de Valleré, directed to the Minister of War (Portuguese: Ministro da Guerra), the Duke of Lafões, it was indicated that the tower was undergoing restoration. This restoration continued from 1794 to 1796, under the direction of Colonel Francisco D'Alincourt.

The fortresses of the southern margin were deactivated in 1801, at the end of the Guerra das Laranjas (War of the Oranges). A survey completed at the end of 1808 included a precise inventory of the armaments in the fort at the time of its decommissioning, including: five 36-caliber bronze pieces, four 18-caliber, nine 12-caliber, five 24-calibre iron pieces, nine 18-calibre iron pieces, six 6-calibre iron pieces; six 45-calibre artillery pieces in state of disrepair; nine 12-calibre in the same condition; in addition to, two marine 36-caliber carts; five marine 24-calibre carts; 13 18-calibre marine carts; six 6-calibre marine carts; and 2400 balls (of two-, eight-, 18- and 36-caliber).

It was suggested that in 1811, the space used to warehouse artillery accessories was used from prisoners.  Similarly, on 13 August 1814, it was determined that the Fort could serve as quarantine for lodging passengers and crews suspected of carrying epidemias. This included Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro who was suspected of yellow fever, and was eventually sent to Brazil; the artist and humorist, regrettably, made light of Portuguese regulations and poor treatment facilities after his experience.

On 29 May 1815, the fort was deactivated by order of the government, while part of its buildings were conserved as lodging for the security forces used to guard guaranteed peoples and those with leprosy.

A new survey of the munitions on site in January 1828, revealed a smaller quantity of artillery, including: one 28-caliber iron piece; six 6-caliber iron pieces; 17 13-caliber iron pieces; two 98-caliber iron mortars; 2,500 balls (of various calibers) and 50 9-caliber bombs.

In 1832, the tower was remodeled and reactivated once more. On recommissioning the batteries had a smaller complement of munitions and artillery, including: two 26-caliber pieces; six 24-caliber pieces and three 18-caliber weapons. The complement of soldiers garrisoning the site included one subordinate, one sergeant, three privates and 31 soldiers.

By the middle of the 19th century, the Old Tower was declared of no interest, and began acting as a second-class military square. But, by 1894, the site was no longer used for this purpose, and began to serve as storage and housing (actin as an annex for the munitions warehouses of Porto Brandão).

In 1859, it medical lodging-role was discontinued, passing to another institution nearby, although the guards continued to be housed onsite. Eventually, the fortress was abandoned.

The process to classify the Old Tower began in 1982, ending in its recognition as a National Monument (Portuguese: Monumento Nacional) on 12 April 1996.

Architecture

The structure is located on Periurban, a hill on the southern shore of the Tagus River, between two small creeks, that of the Porto Brandão and Paulina, approximately opposite the Tower of Belém.

The U-shaped plan is formed from three corps, two oriented to the south, with the final "rounded" block (joining the two), serving as the battery's esplanade.  At the southwest corner of the fortress, is the bulwark and watchtower. Around the principal nucleus of the fortress is a second tier of spaces used for lodging; there are three bulwarks and barracks (one on the northeast, another along the southeast and a final in the south, along the wall with cannons). Owing to erosion of the front/seaside facade, it is impossible to determine any further archaeological significance. The buildings over the older parapets were the result of the structure's transformation into shelter/residences for lepers, and consist of six "T" shaped extensions to the main structure: the Asilo de Caparica (Asylum of Caparica).

The central corp of the fort is an ample rectangular space with doorway and window, with the residence of the governor alongside. The fortress survived into 20th century, maintained many of the fundamental aspects established in the 17th century, in a plan designed in 1692. The design was ostensibly a "U" shaped plan, composed of three spaces and three bulwarks with barracks, one of the extremities of the fort extends from a battlement to a watchtower. Alongside the gate, is a chapel, constructed and dedicated to São Sebastião.

The central body of the Old Tower was a rectangular plan, with the Governor's house inside. The old gate of the main square, near the tower, includes a coat-of-arms of Portugal.

The battlements consist of 15th century stonework, while the tower, the corbels, gatehouse and gateway access to the chapel were constructed in the 17th century. At the end of the 18th century, the fortress received new remodeling, possibly consolidation of the fortifications, under the supervision of Colonel Francisco D'Alincourt.

The battlements and machicolations are still visible on the walls, with the beams of another on the top floors. This part of the tower is covered in a barrel vault, while a terrace is located on its surface, with an external staircase to access the second floor (between the floor and roof), allowing communication between both by doorway. Small caliber artillery or machicolations, probably, supported the balcony and wall. A coat-of-arms is located on the lintel of the door, in the old military square, with the Portuguese heraldry.

Forte de São Sebastião da Caparica

The Palace of Ajuda (Portuguese: Palácio da Ajuda, Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐˈʒudɐ]) is a neoclassical monument in the civil parish of Ajuda in the city of Lisbon, central Portugal. Built on the site of a temporary wooden building constructed to house the Royal family after the 1755 earthquake and tsunami, it was originally begun by architect Manuel Caetano de Sousa, who planned a late Baroque-Rococo building. Later, it was entrusted to José da Costa e Silva and Francisco Xavier Fabri, who planned a magnificent building in the modern neoclassical style.
Over time, the project underwent several periods when the construction was stopped or slowed due to financial constraints or political conflicts. When the Royal Family had to flee to Brazil (in 1807), following the invasion of Portugal by French troops, the work proceeded very slowly with Fabri taking charge of the project, later followed by António Francisco Rosa. Lack of financial resources would also result in the scaling down of the project. The construction of the Ajuda Palace, which began in 1796 and lasted until the late 19th century, was a project plagued by various political, economic and artistic/architectural problems. It was invaded by Napoleon's troops in 1807, and discontinued by Liberal forces who imposed a constitutional monarchy that reduced the power of the royal family. Artistically, it was a convergence of the Baroque styles from Mafra, very connected to regal authority, with the birth of the Neoclassic style from Italy. Further interruptions occurred, due to a lack of funds, political sanctions or disconnection between the workers and the authorities responsible for the project. The project was modified several times, but was generally authored by Manuel Caetano de Sousa (the last Baroque architect) and, later, Costa e Silva and Fabri, both of them Bolognese architects whose tastes crossed the architectural spectrum, but in which Neoclassicism predominated.
When the palace finally became a permanent residence of the royal family during the reign of King Luis I and his wife, Maria Pia of Savoy, their architect, Possidónio da Silva, introduced many aesthetic changes and turned one of the lateral façades into the main one.
Most of the palace interiors were designed during King Luis I’s reign by his wife, Queen Maria Pia and Possidónio da Silva.
Maria Pia lived in the palace from the day she became Queen of Portugal, in 1862, until the republican Revolution in 1910, when the royal family was forced into exile.
Architecture
The Ajuda National Palace is located on a hilltop of the central part of the parish of Ajuda overlooking the historic centre of Lisbon and Tagus River, south of the Monsanto Forest Park. Its main access way in theLargo da Ajuda on the eastern side of the property, but it is also transited by the Calçada do Mirante à Ajuda (north) and Rua dos Marcos (west). Although the Palace occupies a block on the heights of Ajuda, its delineated space extends to several gardens and lands around the main building. This includes: the Jardim das Damas (Lady's Garden) fronting the northern façade of the Palace; the Sala da Física (Physics Hall), in the north-eastern corner fronting the Palace; the clock-tower, also known as the Torre do Galo (Rooster's Tower), isolated in front of the Palace; and the larger Jardim Botânico (Botanical Garden), southwest and across the street from the Palace.
Exterior
One of the earliest neoclassical buildings in Lisbon, the palace is an irregular rectangular building, divided into four wings (with the western wing being incomplete) around a large quadrangle, paved with Portuguese calçada in geometric designs. Each wing is occupied by distinct entities: the eastern and southern wings are occupied by museum exhibitions of the Palace of Ajuda; the northern wing belongs to the installations of the Instituto de Museus e Conservação (Institute of Museums and Conservation), the Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico (Institute for Architectural Management and Archaeological Heritage), part of the Secretaria-Geral do Ministério da Cultura (General Secretariat of the Ministry of Culture), the Ajuda Library and a gallery for temporary exhibits.
The building evolved to a two-three storey structure, on an inclined plot of land, with a façade of ashlar limestone. The main symmetrical façade is oriented towards the east, with a central body and tympanum, extending to two lateral towers. This façade is two floors high, the inferior level marked by three arches, surmounted by (and separated by) Tuscan-Ionian columns supporting the secondary floor/veranda. On the second floor of the main body, the space is protected by balusters protecting the three Roman arch-windows, surmounted by a frieze of garlands, and divided by six Tuscan-Ionic columns.
Between the central body and towers are eight panels consisting of two-floors and a mezzanine, each panel divided by two orders of columns: on the first floor Tuscan and on the second floor Tuscan-Ionic columns. The first floor windows are moulded and trimmed sills with cornices, while a similar number of windows on the upper floor have veranda-like railings, surmounted by smaller square windows. The three-storey towers are also divided by Tuscan and Tuscan-Ionic columns: the first floor, have three windows and sills with angular cornices on the outside and rounded cornices on the interior; the intermediary floor has a comparable number of windows, while the third floor windows are surmounted by smaller windows (much like on the panels). The southern lateral façade has three storeys, with 19 windows in succession, comparable to the main entrance, although there are a series of niches at the base. The uncompleted western façade show signs of vestiges of various dependencies with a wall of open window sills/arches with Tuscan pillars and access to the central courtyard by three rounded arches. Embedded in the vast foyer with a vaulted edge supported by Tuscan columns, has twenty-two marble statues, some signed and dated.
The vestibule is the main access to the Palace, the Library and Exhibition Gallery, which by is made through the vestibule, through a monumental staircase and rounded arches. The ample courtyard is paved in Portuguese calçada, and is surrounded by two four-storey tall wings (north and south): the main floor, with central arch and doorway is flanked by rectangular windows surmounted by smaller square windows; and the superior floors, are composed of veranda-windows with simple frames and cornices and balusters/guardrails.
Interior
The interior is laid out with interconnecting halls, with a central corridor of staircases and elevators.
On the main floor entrance hall, with a succession of the museum in lateral directions, there is a staircase beside two niches with the figures of Justiça and Prudência, which access the Sala dos Archeiros (Archers Hall) completed by Joaquim Machado de Castro and his disciples.

Palace of Ajuda

Burnay Palace (Portuguese: Palácio Burnay) is a Portuguese palace located in the Alcântara parish in Lisbon, Portugal.
History
The origins of the palace lie with D. César de Meneses, having started in 1701 and ended in 1734. The palace has since undergone changes and restoration works in the nineteenth century and more recently in the early 1940s.
The palace is also called by the Palace of the Patriarchs because it was previously the official summer residence of the Patriarchs of Lisbon.
The palace is currently the seat of the Rectory Services and Social Actions of the Technical University of Lisbon.
IGESPAR rates the palace as a Property of Interest.

Burnay Palace

The Necessidades Palace (Portuguese: Palácio das Necessidades) is a historic building in the Largo do Rilvas, a public square in Lisbon, Portugal. It serves as headquarters of the Portuguese Foreign Ministry. The Palace has been classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1983.
History
Formerly a convent belonging to the Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri, it was built in the 18th century, by order of King John V, in gratitude for prayers answered by Our Lady of Needs, whose first devotional chapel stood on this site.
The palace became the residence of the kings of the Braganza dynasty, beginning in the reign of Maria II, and all subsequent monarchs lived there, except for her son, Luís I, who preferred to use the Palace of Ajuda. Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, husband of Maria II, lived in this palace until his death, amassing a large collection of art, which would be dispersed after his death. The palace then underwent several renovations to accommodate the taste of the various monarchs who lived there, the most recent of which was carried out at the beginning of the twentieth century by Carlos I. He enlarged the state dining room because of the frequency of diplomatic activity undertaken there.
The palace was the scene of memorable events in Portuguese history, some momentous, some tragic, some slightly ridiculous. One famous example: the king Peter V had installed in the front door of the palace a slot through which his subjects could, if they wished to, leave messages and complaints for the attention of the sovereign. The last significant event at the palace, which would also be the epilogue of the monarchy, was the joint funeral of King Carlos and his son, Prince Luís Filipe, on 8 February 1908, after their assassination by radical republicans.
On 5 October 1910, during the Republican Revolution, the palace, because it was the official residence of the king, Manuel II, was shelled by the cruiser Adamastor, one of the ships stationed in the Tagus River. The salvoes caused some damage to the Palace, and one of the bomblets even reached the king's private quarters on the first floor, but he had taken refuge elsewhere on the palace grounds. Thanks to the quick thinking of an employee of the building, who cut down the flagpole that customarily displayed the royal banner whenever the monarch was in residence, the Republicans were led to believe that Manuel II had abandoned his home. The king did indeed leave Lisbon a few hours later, and he took refuge in the royal palace at Mafra, 28 kilometres northwest of the capital.
Many works of art housed in the palace were the private property of Manuel II and followed him to his residence in exile in London.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
After the proclamation of the republic on 5 October 1910, the palace remained unoccupied for almost 40 years. In around 1950 it became the headquarters of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a function that continues until the present day. Most of the royal collections, of art, furnishings and other bric-a-bracs were transferred to the museum of the Palace of Ajuda.
Just as the word Whitehall is a convenient way of referring to the British government, today, any use of the word Necessidades is a shorthand way of speaking of the Portuguese foreign ministry or the foreign policy of Portugal, in general.

Necessidades Palace

When planning our tours in Portugal, we looked for places to visit in Lisbon. Points of interest that were not on the so-called normal routes. One of the places to visit, the Palace of the Counts of Óbidos, is a little known Palace that you need to know how to find. In front of Gare Marítima da Rocha Conde de Óbidos. It was built in the 1919th century and passes to the Portuguese Red Cross in XNUMX.
Count of Óbidos was a noble title attributed by King D. Filipe III to D. Vasco Mascarenhas, who had been Vice-King of India and Brazil.
In this palace resided the artist Jorge Colaço, author of a magnificent tile panel, exposed on the terrace, alluding to the arrival in the Terras de Vera Cruz, Brazil. Here the first westerners arrived with Pedro Álvares Cabral in charge of the 13 ships of the trip.
Palace Balcony
One of the places to visit is the balcony of the Palace, which we can see in front of the Gare Marítima da Rocha do Conde de Óbidos.
The Gare Marítima da Rocha Conde de Óbidos, built in 1948 is also one of the places to visit, with mural paintings by Almada Negreiros.
The Palace of the Counts of Óbidos, is also known as Palácio da Rocha, originating from its location, set on top of a huge rocky hill, which because of being so high, you can see the Tagus river from there.
Places to visit in the interior
There are many and varied tile panels and fresco paintings. Even the entrance, on the main façade, is flanked by six tile panels designed by Colonel Vitoria Pereira and drawn in 1937, with figures of a nobleman, a halberd, that is, a man armed with a halberd, or archer and a lady.
Dining Room and Lobby
In the dining room, we can appreciate other panels of his own that represent curious palace scenes.
The atrium of the Palace of the Counts of Óbidos, showing the busts of King D. Luís I and Queen D. Maria Pia, protectors of the Red Cross in Portugal, gives access to the Library. The Palace is currently the headquarters of the Portuguese Red Cross and one of the places to visit in Lisbon.
Palace Library
In the Library of the Palace of the Red Cross, there is a large crystal chandelier, manufactured in Marinha Grande and the ceiling has a painting representing the Peace of Alvalade, in which Queen Santa Isabel appears mounted on a donkey, between King D. Dinis and his son D. Afonso IV.
On the walls of the various rooms of the Palácio dos Condes de Óbidos, you can see portraits of the presidents of the Portuguese Red Cross, as in the Sala D. João de Castro, including that of Maria de Jesus Barroso.
One of the places to visit in Lisbon
A Palace of great interest and not to be missed in Lisbon. From the Rocha Conde de Óbidos we see the Red Cross Palace.
The Palácio dos Condes de Óbidos can be visited by appointment, as can be seen on the website of the Portuguese Red Cross in the “Guided Tours”, just by clicking on the image below, which represents the main entrance to the Red Cross Palace .
You arrive through Jardim 9 de Abril and next to the National Museum of Ancient Art, the former Palace of the Counts of Alvor.
https://www.passaronoombro.com/

Palace of the Counts of Óbidos

The Fort of São Bruno is situated on the estuary of the River Tagus in Caxias, Oeiras municipality, near Lisbon in Portugal. It was built in 1647 and became operational in 1649 as part of the construction of a line of forts to control access to Lisbon, which stretched from Cabo da Roca on the Atlantic coast to the Belém Tower near Lisbon. The fort is well preserved, following its original design, and is considered one of the most attractive examples of maritime military architecture on the Portuguse coast. It presently serves as the headquarters of the Associação Portuguesa dos Amigos dos Castelos (Portuguese association of friends of castles).

History

During the Portuguese Restoration War, King John IV of Portugal identified the need to strengthen Lisbon's defences in the face of attacks by the Spanish navy. In 1647 he ordered construction of a fort at Caxias to improve the defence of the right bank of the Tagus by making possible crossfire with the Fort of Nossa Senhora do Vale (Our Lady of the Valley) to the east, now demolished, and the Fort of Giribita to the west, thus reinforcing the major Fort of São Julião da Barra to the west. António Luís de Meneses, 1st Marquis of Marialva, was given responsibility for the work.

Built on a rocky outcrop into the river estuary, the Fort of São Bruno (taking its name from a nearby convent) is in the shape of a star around a raised central square. Following a Mannerist style, it was built with batteries targeted at both the estuary and towards the land, together with rectangular bartizans on the front corners. The entrance to the interior is through a large arched gate, on which was placed the shield of Portugal, with the date 1647. It was equipped with cannon in 1649. A military inspection carried out in 1735 reported that the fort was deactivated and all its artillery had been destroyed. It also stated that at least one of the lower batteries had been invaded by sand. Some repairs took place in 1751 and the fort seems to have emerged relatively unscathed from the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. Throughout the 18th century the fort was deactivated on several occasions and was reported on one occasion to be occupied by farmers. However, it was again in operation during the Spanish-Portuguese War of 1762–1763, being armed with 16 cannon.

View of the fort from the east

King Miguel I used the fort in 1831 for target practice, using its artillery to aim at barges moored in the middle of the Tagus for that purpose. These were the only occasions on which artillery has been fired from the fort. With the end of the Portuguese Civil War the fort was once again deactivated. After that it ceased to be used for military purposes and in 1888 was leased to a private individual for nine years. In 1902 it was handed back to the Government and in 1903 occupied by the Guarda Fiscal, the Portuguese Customs and Excise department, to guard against smuggling. The Guarda Fiscal was responsible for it until 1946, although in 1941 it was used as a sailing centre by the Mocidade Portuguesa, a youth organization of the right-wing Estado Novo Government. A well-supported campaign in 1999-2000 for the restoration of the fort and improvements to the surrounding area led to significant work being carried out by the Oeiras municipality.

Fort of São Bruno

The Fort of Giribita, also referred to as the Fort of Our Lady of Porto Salvo and the Fort of Ponta do Guincho, is located on the right bank of the Tagus estuary, in the municipality of Oeiras, District of Lisbon, in Portugal. It was completed in 1649 during the Portuguese Restoration War (1640-1668), as part of the fortifications of Lisbon that stretched from Cabo da Roca on the Atlantic coast to Belém Tower close to Lisbon. It could exchange crossfire with the Fort of São Bruno to its east.

History

The fort, which is relatively small, was built on a rocky outcrop into the Tagus estuary in a Mannerist style. It has a pentagonal outline, with the roof covered by a terrace, with two circular bartizans. There are six gaps in the walls for gun emplacements. Using the site of an earlier artillery battery, the Fort of Giribita was rebuilt and enlarged as a result of a decision of the Council of War created by King John IV. Work was supervised by António Luís de Meneses, 1st Marquis of Marialva and was completed in 1649, according to the inscription on the entrance. By 1735 a report noted that the fort had just two pieces of artillery, with a further five not fit for service. In 1763 it was reportedly armed with 7 cannon but by 1824 the functioning artillery was again back to just two pieces. During the Portuguese Civil War (1828-1834) the Fort of Giribita was armed with 22 gunners and seven cannon.

In 1873 work began on restoration and in 1877 the fort was assigned to the Defence Commission of Lisbon, which used it as a deposit for torpedo material, a function which it still exercised in 1911, the first year of the First Portuguese Republic after the 5 October 1910 revolution. Some repairs were carried out in 1911. In 1942 it was handed over to the Ministry of Finance. Prior to that, its surrounding environment had been completely changed by construction of the EN6 highway, known as the Marginal, connecting Lisbon with Cascais along the river and coastline, which passes within a few metres of the fort. After the Carnation Revolution in 1974, it was handed over to the Directorate of Naval Infrastructure in 1975.

