Barra de Aveiro Fort
The Barra de Aveiro Fort (Forte da Barra de Aveiro in Portuguese) also known as Gafanha Castle (Castelo da Gafanha in Portuguese), Forte Pombalino, Forte Novo or , is located on an island adjacent to Ilha da Mó do Meio, parish of Gafanha da Nazaré, municipality of Ílhavo, district of Aveiro, in Portugal.[2][3][1]
History
The area of Gafanhas began to be inhabited in the 16th or 17th century. A lighthouse and a small surrounding fort were built near the mouth of the Vouga River, as part of an effort to facilitate navigation in that river mouth, which involved dredging, remodeling the coastline and increasing an adjacent sandbar, known since then as the "triangle of concentration of currents".
The fort was built between 1642 and 1648, during the War of Portuguese Restoration of Independence.[1][3]
The fort never had important military functions, as the silting that progressed at the mouth of the Vouga since the 15th century pushed the coastline further forward, with intermittent interruptions to access to the sea. The situation came to its present state with the opening of Barra de Aveiro (end of the 19th century) that separated São Jacinto from Barra Nova, the construction of the Aveiro Lighthouse and two sea piers that guard the current mouth of the Ria de Aveiro.
It was rebuilt in 1801.[3] By the 20th century the fort lost its defensive function. For that reason, it came to be administered by the Aveiro port authorities, then the Junta Autónoma do Porto de Aveiro and, more recently, the Administration of the Port of Aveiro.
The fort is classified as a Property of Public Interest by Decree-Law nº 735 of December 21, 1974.[3]
In recent decades, the ground floor of the fort was used as a warehouse for materials and the lighthouse continues to perform signaling functions in inland navigation.[2]
It is currently part of a program of renovation of historical buildings for tourism purposes.[4]
Features
Small structure with two half bulwarks connected by a curtain, with only the southern bulwark being completed, with three gun enplacements. One of the curtains is split by a triple arcade with access by stairs, on the left, to the upper terrace. A cylindrical tower rises on the terrace and in the middle a beacon of disproportionate size made up of overlapping drums. Several constructions are joined to the fort, either at an angle, in one of the half bastions to the north, or running along the inner curtain.[3]
Gallery
References
- ^ a b c Forte da Barra de Aveiro at revive.turismodeportugal.pt
- ^ a b Forte da Barra at cm-ilhavo.pt
- ^ a b c d e Forte da Barra de Aveiro / Castelo da Gafanha at monumentos.gov.pt
- ^ Forte da Barra at visitilhavo.pt
- v
- t
- e
- Barra de Aveiro Fort
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 | |
---|---|
Campo Entrincheirado |
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)