Fort of Leça da Palmeira
the public
The Fort of Leça da Palmeira (Portuguese: Forte de Leça da Palmeira), or alternately the Castle of Matosinhos (Portuguese: Castelo de Matosinhos) is a 17th-century fort located in civil parish of Leça da Palmeira, municipality of Matosinhos in the Greater Porto region of Portugal.
History
The fort was begun in 1638 in the area known as Santa Catarina by João Sá e Meneses, then Count of Penaguião, which they initially designated as the Forte de Nossa Senhora das Neves da Barra de Leça (Fort of Our Layd of the Snows of the Leça Sandbar).[1][2] The objective of this fortification was to reinforce the sandbar of the mouth of the Douro, in conjunction with the Fort of São Francisco Xavier do Queijo, and the Fort of São João da Foz.[2]
With the beginning of the Portuguese Restoration War in 1640, the conclusion of the project took on a greater importance.[2] But, by 1642, the fort was not yet completed, such that officials of the municipal council of Porto petitioned King John IV to force the quick conclusion of the public works.[1][2] The construction only continued in 1646, and two years later the first garrison of six soldiers was instituted by royal order.[2] But, the establishment of the garrison did not mean the construction was concluded. In 1655, a new petition was sent to the King, yet the construction would drag onto the next century.[1][2]
In 1701, the fort, still uncompleted, was home for a larger group of soldiers, artillery emplacements and four cannons. It was only in 1720 that the fort was finally completed.[2]
During the Liberal Wars, around 1832, the fort had suffered some damage, and reconstruction were completed in the warehouses, the drawbridge, internal staircase and the parapets.[1][2] A few years later, the fort lost its military function, with the removal of the garrison, and in 1844 the main square became the location of the customs house of Porto.[2]
In the 20th century, the fort was transferred to the Captaincy of the Port of Leixões, where they installed their services.[1]
In 1962, a landscaping project was completed by Ilídio de Araújo, who beautified the grounds and area around the fort.[1][2]
Architecture
The fort is located along the urban shoreline of the civil parish of Leça da Palmeira, implanted in front of the Port of Leixões, and encircled by homes and residences.[1]
The fort is a typical design in the form of a star pattern, with four points, protected by angular curtain wall and barbicans.[1] The fort still has some cannons along its battlements.[1][2] Apart from a few dependencies associated with its service as fortification, the rest of the interior is occupied by constructions uncharacteristic of this service, constructed to service the Captaincy of the Porto Leixões, including aerials, communications antennas and service buildings.[1]
References
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Sereno, Isabel; Leão, Miguel (1994), SIPA (ed.), Forte de Leça da Palmeira/Castelo de Matosinhos (v.PT011308050004) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA –Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 13 April 2012
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Oliveira, Catarina (June 2008). "Forte de Leça da Palmeira, também conhecido por Castelo de Matosinhos" (in Portuguese). Lisbon, Portugal: IGESPAR - Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico. Archived from the original on 2020-10-29. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
- Sources
- MOP, ed. (1962), Relatório da Actividade do Ministério no Ano de 1961 (in Portuguese), vol. 2, Lisbon, Portugal: Ministério das Obras Públicas
- MOP, ed. (1963), Relatório da Actividade do Ministério no Ano de 1962 (in Portuguese), vol. 2, Lisbon, Portugal: Ministério das Obras Públicas
- Pacheco, Hélder (1976), O Grande Porto (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Dionísio, Santana (1985), Guia de Portugal (in Portuguese), vol. 4 (I ed.), Coimbra, Portugal
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Lopes, Flávio (1993), Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
- v
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Branco
- Forte de Ponte de Alvito
- Fortress of Buarcos
- Santa Catarina
- Palheiros Fort
- Estremoz
- Juromenha
- Santo António da Piedade
- Fort of Mourão
- São Luís
- Fort of Arrifana
- Santa Catarina
- São João do Arade
- Nossa Senhora da Encarnação
- Nossa Senhora da Luz
- Nossa Senhora da Penha de França
- Cavaleiros de Santiago
- São Sebastião de Castro Marim
- Fort of Sagres
- Nossa Senhora da Guia
- São Roque
- São Vicente
- Santo António de Tavira
- São João da Barra
- Vera Cruz
- Burgau Fort
- Santo António de Belixe
- Nossa Senhora da Rocha
- São Francisco
- Nossa Senhora da Consolação
- São João Baptista das Berlengas
- São Miguel Arcanjo
- São Vicente
- Bom Sucesso
- Santo António da Barra
- São Lourenço do Bugio
- Nossa Senhora da Luz
- Fort of Guincho
- Nossa Senhora da Guia
- Santa Susana
- São João das Maias
- São Bruno
- Nossa Senhora de Porto Salvo
- São Pedro de Milreu
- Nossa Senhora dos Anjos
- Nossa Senhora das Mercês
- Fort of Sacavém
- São Jorge
- São Julião da Barra
- São Pedro do Estoril
- São Teodósio
- Santa Marta
- Santo Amaro
- Nossa Senhora da Natividade
- Santa Apolónia
- São Brás de Sanxete
- Fort of Cresmina
Lines of Torres Vedras | |
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Campo Entrincheirado |
- Nossa Senhora das Neves
- Nossa Senhora da Conceição
- São Francisco Xavier
- São João Baptista
- São João Baptista da Foz
Castelo
- Areosa Fort
- Fort of Cão
- Nossa Senhora da Ínsua
- Fort of Lagarteira
- Montedor Fort
- Monção
- Santiago da Barra
- São Francisco de Lovelhe
- Valença
- Fort of the Açougue (Terceira)
- Fort of the Cavalas (Terceira)
- Fort of the Church of São Mateus da Calheta (Terceira)
- Fort of Cinco Ribeiras (Terceira)
- Espírito Santo (Terceira)
- Fort of the Caninas (Terceira)
- Nossa Senhora da Guia (Faial)
- Fort of Greta (Terceira)
- Fort of Má Ferramenta (Terceira)
- Fort of the Maré (Terceira)
- Military Battery of Espalamaca (Faial)
- Fort of Negrito (Terceira)
- Dois Paus redoubt (Terceira)
- São João Baptista (Terceira)
- Reducto da Salga (Terceira)
- Três Paus redoubt (Terceira)
- Forte da Salga (Terceira)
- Santa Catarina das Mós (Terceira)
- Santa Cruz (Faial)
- Santo António (Terceira)
- Santo António do Monte Brasil (Terceira)
- São Brás (Santa Maria)
- São Fernando (Terceira)
- São Francisco (Terceira)
- São João (Terceira)
- São João Baptista (Santa Maria)
- São Mateus da Calheta (Terceira)
- São Sebastião (Terceira)
- Forte do Terreiro (Terceira)
- Zimbreiro Fort (Terceira)
- São João Baptista (Pico)
- Nossa Senhora do Amparo (Madeira)
- São José (Porto Santo)
- São Lourenço (Madeira)
- São Tiago (Madeira)