Versão portuguesa aqui.

GPS 38.69803654671896, -9.274812292316147

The São Bruno Fort (from Caxias) is located in Caxias, at the confluence of the Barcarena stream with the Tagus Estuary. It belongs to the parish of Oeiras and S. Julião da Barra, Paço de Arcos and Caxias, municipality of Oeiras, Lisbon Coast.

It was built in the context of the Restoration War of Portuguese independence, as part of the line of fortifications along the Tagus bar, which stretched from Cabo da Roca to Torre de Belém. It crossed fires with the Fort of Nossa Senhora de Porto Salvo (to the west).

It should not be confused with the Fort of D. Luís I (Fort-prison of Caxias), part of Campo Entrincheirado in Lisbon, built in Caxias at the end of the 19th century and, in 1935, transformed into a political prison by the Portuguese Estado Novo.

History

It was built by order of the War Council of King João IV (1640-1656), under the supervision of King António Luís de Meneses (1596-1675), 3rd Count of Cantanhede, as Governor of Arms of Praça de Cascais. Completed in 1647, it was part of the 1st line of maritime and river fortifications, built at the time between Cabo da Roca and Torre de Belém, to defend the city of Lisbon.

At the beginning of the 18th century, Count D. Rodrigo da Silveira was appointed its governor (1701), but already in 1735, suffering from silting, it was disabled and its artillery unusable. It is represented by João Tomás Correia in the "Book of Several Plants in this Kingdom", from 1736.

Years later, in 1751, it was restored, but, even with artillery, in 1777 it was unguarded, inhabited by a family of civilians. At the end of the century, Manoel António da Cunha (1800) was appointed as its governor, and was garrisoned in 1802, armed with eleven pieces.

In the 19th century, with the loss of its defensive function in the face of the evolution of war means, it was dismantled, and used in other functions: in 1815 it was again invaded by the sands with its right tent overturned, missing doors and windows; between 1831-1832, when Infante D. Francisco built a small palace in front of the fort, he started to use the monument as a target for shooting exercises; it was leased for nine years to the bachelor João Cardoso Ferraz de Miranda (1878); in 1895 the General Administration of Customs requested the transfer of the property in order to install a tax office there.

At the beginning of the 20th century, after adaptation works, it was finally transferred to the Fiscal Guard, which occupied it until 1946, when Mocidade Portuguesa settled there. The first conservation and restoration intervention carried out by the Directorate-General for National Buildings and Monuments (DGEMN, 1952-1958) dates from this period.

After the Carnation Revolution, its facilities were handed over to the Support Fund for Youth Organizations to be used as a summer camp (1976). The following year, it passed to the Portuguese Association of Youth Hostels.

It is classified as a Property of Public Interest by Decree nº 95, of September 12, 1978. Recovered by the DGEMN (1982 and 1984-1986), since October 22, 1984, it has been transferred to the Corpo de Voluntários Salvadors Náuticos, who kept the facilities in good condition. In 1997, the DGEMN and the Municipality of Oeiras carried out new recovery and rehabilitation works. Finally, in 2000, the City Council intervened in its surroundings, providing a more pleasant space for visitors and better accessibility to the fort.

In good condition, it is today the seat of honor of the Portuguese Association of Friends of Castelos, which annually celebrates here, on the 29th of July, the anniversary of the Friends of Castelos.

Characteristics

Small maritime fortification, bastioned, with a starred polygonal plan, in the Baroque style. Implanted on a rocky outcrop on the river bank, its layout prevails functionality over ornamentation.

On the land side, the Arms Gate opens, with a full arch over pilasters, surmounted by an epigraphic stone plaque dated 1647 and by the coat of arms of Portugal. The plaque reads:

"D IOAO 4TH KING OF PORTVGAL MANDOV / MAKING THIS WORK BEING GOR DAS / ARMS OF CASCAIS SQUARE THE / COUNT OF CANTANHEDE OF THE / STATE AND WARFARE CONSULTATION D / S MGDE VEDOR DE SVA FZDA / THE CVJA ORDER COMETEV O EEITO DELLA / ANNO 1647" The central nucleus of the fort has a rectangular plan, with vaulted dependencies and two batteries for grazing fire on the side of the river. Above the premises, on a flagged terrace, the elevated battery opens.

Two bulwarks defend the land side and the gate, with quadrangular watchtowers topped by pyramidal domes at the vertices.

Curiosities The name of the fort is due to the fact that, at the time, its construction was close to the Convent of Laveiras of the Carthusian friars of São Bruno. This fort was part of the so-called Linhas de Torres at the time of the Peninsular War.

Gallery

Versão portuguesa aqui.

GPS 38.69803654671896, -9.274812292316147

The São Bruno Fort (from Caxias) is located in Caxias, at the confluence of the Barcarena stream with the Tagus Estuary. It belongs to the parish of Oeiras and S. Julião da Barra, Paço de Arcos and Caxias, municipality of Oeiras, Lisbon Coast.

It was built in the context of the Restoration War of Portuguese independence, as part of the line of fortifications along the Tagus bar, which stretched from Cabo da Roca to Torre de Belém. It crossed fires with the Fort of Nossa Senhora de Porto Salvo (to the west).

It should not be confused with the Fort of D. Luís I (Fort-prison of Caxias), part of Campo Entrincheirado in Lisbon, built in Caxias at the end of the 19th century and, in 1935, transformed into a political prison by the Portuguese Estado Novo.

History

It was built by order of the War Council of King João IV (1640-1656), under the supervision of King António Luís de Meneses (1596-1675), 3rd Count of Cantanhede, as Governor of Arms of Praça de Cascais. Completed in 1647, it was part of the 1st line of maritime and river fortifications, built at the time between Cabo da Roca and Torre de Belém, to defend the city of Lisbon.

At the beginning of the 18th century, Count D. Rodrigo da Silveira was appointed its governor (1701), but already in 1735, suffering from silting, it was disabled and its artillery unusable. It is represented by João Tomás Correia in the "Book of Several Plants in this Kingdom", from 1736.

Years later, in 1751, it was restored, but, even with artillery, in 1777 it was unguarded, inhabited by a family of civilians. At the end of the century, Manoel António da Cunha (1800) was appointed as its governor, and was garrisoned in 1802, armed with eleven pieces.

In the 19th century, with the loss of its defensive function in the face of the evolution of war means, it was dismantled, and used in other functions: in 1815 it was again invaded by the sands with its right tent overturned, missing doors and windows; between 1831-1832, when Infante D. Francisco built a small palace in front of the fort, he started to use the monument as a target for shooting exercises; it was leased for nine years to the bachelor João Cardoso Ferraz de Miranda (1878); in 1895 the General Administration of Customs requested the transfer of the property in order to install a tax office there.

At the beginning of the 20th century, after adaptation works, it was finally transferred to the Fiscal Guard, which occupied it until 1946, when Mocidade Portuguesa settled there. The first conservation and restoration intervention carried out by the Directorate-General for National Buildings and Monuments (DGEMN, 1952-1958) dates from this period.

After the Carnation Revolution, its facilities were handed over to the Support Fund for Youth Organizations to be used as a summer camp (1976). The following year, it passed to the Portuguese Association of Youth Hostels.

It is classified as a Property of Public Interest by Decree nº 95, of September 12, 1978. Recovered by the DGEMN (1982 and 1984-1986), since October 22, 1984, it has been transferred to the Corpo de Voluntários Salvadors Náuticos, who kept the facilities in good condition. In 1997, the DGEMN and the Municipality of Oeiras carried out new recovery and rehabilitation works. Finally, in 2000, the City Council intervened in its surroundings, providing a more pleasant space for visitors and better accessibility to the fort.

In good condition, it is today the seat of honor of the Portuguese Association of Friends of Castelos, which annually celebrates here, on the 29th of July, the anniversary of the Friends of Castelos.

Characteristics

Small maritime fortification, bastioned, with a starred polygonal plan, in the Baroque style. Implanted on a rocky outcrop on the river bank, its layout prevails functionality over ornamentation.

On the land side, the Arms Gate opens, with a full arch over pilasters, surmounted by an epigraphic stone plaque dated 1647 and by the coat of arms of Portugal. The plaque reads:

"D IOAO 4TH KING OF PORTVGAL MANDOV / MAKING THIS WORK BEING GOR DAS / ARMS OF CASCAIS SQUARE THE / COUNT OF CANTANHEDE OF THE / STATE AND WARFARE CONSULTATION D / S MGDE VEDOR DE SVA FZDA / THE CVJA ORDER COMETEV O EEITO DELLA / ANNO 1647" The central nucleus of the fort has a rectangular plan, with vaulted dependencies and two batteries for grazing fire on the side of the river. Above the premises, on a flagged terrace, the elevated battery opens.

Two bulwarks defend the land side and the gate, with quadrangular watchtowers topped by pyramidal domes at the vertices.

Curiosities The name of the fort is due to the fact that, at the time, its construction was close to the Convent of Laveiras of the Carthusian friars of São Bruno. This fort was part of the so-called Linhas de Torres at the time of the Peninsular War.

Gallery