Category: Military Architecture > Fort
District: Leiria > Peniche > Berlenga > Arcos da Berlenga
Located on the island of Berlenga Grande, in the Berlengas archipelago, in Peniche, Portugal.
National Monument since 1938.
- Human occupation since Antiquity.
- Known as the island of Saturn by the Romans.
- Visited by Muslims, Vikings, French and English corsairs.
- Founded in 1513 with the support of Queen D. Leonor.
- Monks of the Order of São Jerónimo offered assistance to navigation and shipwreck victims.
- Abandoned due to food shortages, diseases and pirate attacks.
- Built during the Restoration War, in the reign of D. João IV.
- Built with stones from the old monastery.
- In 1655, it resisted an attack by Turkish ships.
- Defended by a small group of soldiers.
- Resisted a combined assault of naval bombardment and land landing.
- Captured after lack of ammunition and supplies.
- Support base for English forces during the Peninsular War.
- Restored and with the Chapel rebuilt.
- During the Portuguese Civil War, used by Miguelist forces and then by the Liberals.
- Lost military importance in the 19th century.
- Dismantled and used as a support base for commercial fishing.
- Partially restored in the 20th century.
- Currently functions as a refuge, managed by the Association of Friends of the Berlengas.
- Irregular heptagonal polygon shape.
- Main building with two floors and twelve compartments.
- Eight additional compartments inside the walls.
- Internal corridors without lighting.
- Eleven gun emplacements facing the sea.
- Arch structure that connects the fort to the island, creating an impressive and unique landscape.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forte_de_São_João_Batista_das_Berlengas
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.41135665952275,-9.510002899828265
Coordinates DMS: 39°24'40.9"N 09°30'36.0"W
Weather Berlenga
On-duty Pharmacy Berlenga
