Archeira Fort

Category: Military Architecture > Fort

District: Lisboa > Torres Vedras > Dois Portos e Runa > Mugideira

Location

Fort da Archeira, also historically known as Redoubt of Furadouro, is located in the villages of Dois Portos and Runa, in the municipality of Torres Vedras. Built at an altitude of 345 meters in the Serra da Caduceira, its elevated position provided a strategic view over the surrounding rural landscape, particularly the valleys of Runa and Ribaldeira, which were crucial for defense.

Historical Context

This fort is a testament to 19th-century military engineering, with its construction having begun in 1810. It was an integral part of the first of the renowned Lines of Torres Vedras, a vast and ingenious defensive system designed to protect the Portuguese capital from French invasions during the Peninsular War. These lines, created by order of General Wellesley (Duke of Wellington), represented a monumental defensive effort, built with great speed and discretion.

Function and Military Design

With an irregular polygon plan, Fort da Archeira was designed to accommodate a garrison of approximately 500 soldiers and would have been equipped with 12-pounder artillery. Its function was crucial for the defense of the Runa and Ribaldeira valleys, points considered vulnerable to an enemy advance. In addition to its defensive role, the fort also served as an important signaling station, using an optical telegraph system to communicate with other fortifications, such as Fort of Alqueidão and Fort of São Vicente, and even with the Atlantic coast.

The Current Legacy

Although it has undergone some restoration interventions as part of the bicentennial commemorations of the Lines of Torres Vedras, much of Fort da Archeira's original structure is no longer visible. However, it is still possible to identify the entrance to a small storage room, a small vestige that transports us to the military daily life of the era. Today, the site serves as a historical-cultural landmark, inviting reflection on its past and the strategic importance it once held in the defense of national territory.

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