Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Lisboa > Torres Vedras > São Pedro da Cadeira > Casal dos Cochos
Belmonte Fort is located in the locality of São Pedro da Cadeira, within the municipality of Torres Vedras. It is specifically found in the area known as Casal dos Cochos, in surroundings that combine a more residential environment with the presence of a significant historical landmark, offering a perspective on the surrounding landscape of the region.
This fort, also identified as Redoubt of Belmonte or Fort 145, is one of the integral parts of the First Line of Defence of the historic Lines of Torres Vedras. Built during the spring of 1810, in the context of the French Invasions, its construction aimed to strengthen the defensive system erected to prevent the advance of Napoleonic troops towards the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. Its existence underscores the breadth and complexity of this imposing set of fortifications.
Belmonte Fort was designed as a defensive redoubt, conceived to withstand the military engagements of the time. Its structure was dimensioned to house a garrison of approximately 250 soldiers and to operate with four 9-pound artillery pieces. These characteristics demonstrate its essential function in the defence and strategic control of the area, serving as a pivotal point of vigilance and resistance within the system of the Lines of Torres Vedras.
The relevance of Belmonte Fort is intrinsically linked to the events of 1810, when General Massena, after the confrontation at Buçaco, sought to advance on Lisbon. The Anglo-Portuguese army, under the command of General Wellington, strategically retreated to the Lines of Torres Vedras, transforming them into an insurmountable barrier. The arrival of French troops at these fortifications, coupled with a particularly rainy winter that caused the Sizandro river to overflow, prevented any progress. Faced with the impossibility of breaking through the defence and the attrition of his forces, Massena was compelled to begin the retreat of his troops on the night of November 15, 1810, marking a crucial moment in the defence of Portuguese territory and the defeat of the French offensive.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.0813592,-9.381633
Coordinates DMS: 39°04'52.9"N 09°22'53.9"W
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