Walls and turrets of Lagos

Category: Military Architecture > Fortress

District: Faro > Lagos > Lagos > Ameijeira de Baixo

Description

- The Lagos Castle, also known as the Walls and Turrets of Lagos, is a military monument located in Lagos, Algarve, Portugal.

- Composed of stretches of wall, bastions, and the Governors' Castle.

Divided into two distinct parts

The Medieval Wall and the Renaissance Wall.

Importance and Conservation

- Classified as a National Monument.

- Considered the main monument of Lagos due to its history and importance as a military structure.

- Contributes to the delimitation and organization of the city's historic center.

Medieval Wall

- Protected the old part of the city, known as the Primitive Nucleus of Lagos or Vila-a-dentro.

- The route began at the Porta da Vila (Town Gate) and passed through the Church of Santa Maria, Church of Santo António, and continued to the castle.

- It had three main gates, albarrana towers, and smaller accesses called postigos (small gates or sally ports).

Eastern Section

- The only surviving section of the Medieval Wall.

- Comprises the stretch between the Governors' Castle and the Ribeira Turret.

- Includes the Porta de São Gonçalo (Gate of São Gonçalo), flanked by two albarrana towers.

- On the site of the Porta de São Gonçalo, there is an oratory dedicated to São Gonçalo and a church dedicated to Santa Bárbara.

Ruins of the Medieval Walls

- Discovered during works at the former PSP (Polícia de Segurança Pública, Public Security Police) barracks in 2022.

- Vestiges that evidence the existence of the medieval walls, such as towers and part of the walls.

Renaissance Wall

- Built during the reign of King John III.

- Expansion of the walls and the Governors' Castle.

- Used as the residence of the governors.

- Suffered significant damage in the 1755 earthquake and was never rebuilt.

Conservation and Reconstruction

- National Monument since 1924.

- Restoration works carried out in the 1950s by the Estado Novo (New State regime).

- Occasional conservation interventions over time, including works carried out in the 1980s and in the 2010s.

- Restoration works are planned for the bastions of the walls for 2023.

Visitation

- Possibility to visit the Eastern Section of the walls, the Porta de São Gonçalo, and the Jardim da Constituição (Constitution Garden).

- Explore the military history of Lagos and appreciate the defensive architecture.

- Admire the panoramic views over the city from the remaining walls.

Walls of Lagos throughout history

- Lagos has an ancient history, from the Cónios settlement of Lacóbriga to the conquest by the Romans.

- During Islamic rule, Lagos was an important defense point and a castle was built.

- During the Reconquista (Reconquest), Lagos was conquered and reconquered several times before being definitively reconquered in the mid-13th century.

- The walls of Lagos were built during the reign of King Afonso III and covered an area that included the Church of Santa Maria da Graça, the castle, and the Porta de São Gonçalo.

- The walls and bastions allowed control of the land around the city and offered panoramic views of the Serra de Monchique (Monchique Mountain range) and the bay.

- Some bastions had ramps for transporting artillery.

- In addition to the city walls, Lagos also had a network of fortifications along the coastline.

Recent history and future plans

- Construction of the walls of Lagos was completed in 1598 during the Philippine Dynasty.

- The 1755 earthquake almost completely destroyed the defensive perimeter of Lagos.

- The city was attacked and besieged during the Portuguese Civil War from 1832 to 1834.

- In the 19th century, the walls lost their military value and repair works were carried out.

- In the 20th century, several restoration interventions were carried out on the walls and bastions.

- In 1924, the walls and bastions were classified as a national monument.

- Part of the defenses were sacrificed for the urban development of Lagos.

- In the 1960s, the Avenida dos Descobrimentos (Avenue of the Discoveries) was opened and the Governors' Castle was rebuilt.

- In 1984, an agreement was signed for the urban rehabilitation of the historic center of Lagos, including the walls.

- In the 21st century, remodeling and conservation works of the defensive structures continued.

- In 2021, the transformation of the external area of the walls into a green space was planned.

- In 2022, vestiges of the medieval wall and towers were discovered during remodeling works.

- The Bloco de Esquerda (Left Bloc political party) criticized the degradation of historical heritage, including the walls, in 2022.

- In the plan for 2023, restoration works are planned for the bastions of the walls.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castelo_de_Lagos

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt