White Mill Fort

Category: Military Architecture > Fort

District: Lisboa > Vila Franca de Xira > Calhandriz > Adanaia

Location

The Forte do Moinho Branco is located in the Adanaia urbanization, in the locality of Calhandriz, belonging to the municipality of Vila Franca de Xira. Erected at an altitude of 316 meters on the Serra de São Lourenço, the fort offers a dominant position. From this elevated point, it is possible to observe the vast surrounding rural landscape, a characteristic that underscores its strategic importance in the past.

A Landmark of National Defense

Dating from the 19th century, the Forte do Moinho Branco, also known as Forte dos Sinais or Forte de Maria Joana, is one of the military edifices that make up the notable Lines of Torres Vedras. This complex defensive system was erected by order of General Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington, with the purpose of protecting Lisbon during the French Invasions. The fort in Adanaia represented a crucial redoubt for the defense of the Alhandra area, given its strategic location.

Its original function was military, having been designed to accommodate a garrison of about 400 soldiers and would have been equipped with considerable calibre artillery. In addition to its warlike vocation, the fort also played a vital role as a signal or telegraph post, allowing for rapid communication between different points of the defensive line. Today, the site assumes a cultural and recreational function, preserving the memory of a significant period in Portuguese history.

Architecture and Preservation

The structure of the fort presents an irregular polygon plan, adapted to the topography of the land where it was built. It is characterized by robust and functional military architecture, typical of its time. Despite the passage of time, the Forte do Moinho Branco remains in a reasonable state of conservation, and it is still possible to observe its moats and the ruins of old powder magazines, testimonies to its complex internal organization.

Visiting this site allows for an understanding of 19th-century defensive engineering and the scale of the military effort undertaken to protect the territory. Its integration into the Lines of Torres Vedras gives it significant historical and heritage value, inviting reflection on the events that shaped Portugal's destiny.

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