Tojal Fort

Category: Military Architecture > Fort

District: Lisboa > Loures > Santo Antão e São Julião do Tojal > Loures Business Park

Location

The Tojal Fort, also known as Espadaninha Battery, is located in the locality of Santo Antão e São Julião do Tojal, in the municipality of Loures, integrated into the Loures Business Park area. Situated on an elevation of 77 meters, this fort offers a view over the Trancão River valley, in a landscape that today combines vestiges of its rural past with a more modern environment.

Its strategic position allowed for visual control of the old military road that followed the river's course, as well as the Bucelas gorge, a natural passage of great defensive importance at the time it was built.

A Legacy of the French Invasions

This 19th-century fort is an integral part of the remarkable defensive system of the Lines of Torres Vedras, built with the objective of protecting Lisbon from the French invasions during the Peninsular War. Specifically, the Tojal Fort was part of the Second Defensive Line, a more backward but crucial position for controlling important access routes.

Its construction, ordered by General Wellesley (future Duke of Wellington), evidences the military engineering of the time and the urgency to create an effective barrier against Napoleonic troops, playing a significant role in the history of national defense.

Defensive Engineering

The architecture of the Tojal Fort reveals the robustness and functionality of 19th-century military constructions. With an irregular polygonal plan, its structure was built predominantly in military rammed earth, a construction technique that used compacted earth. It is still possible to observe some traces of basalt stone cladding on the escarpment corners.

Among its defensive features, notable are a dry moat surrounding the construction, a small passage inside that protected the entrance and the ammunition depot, and two gun emplacements oriented towards the valley, designed for the positioning of heavy artillery, capable of housing a garrison of about 200 soldiers.

A Historical Point of Interest

Currently, the Tojal Fort is recognized as a historical-cultural landmark, being classified as part of the Lines of Torres Vedras complex. Its visit allows for a deeper understanding of Portuguese defensive strategy against external threats and the impact of these events on local geography and heritage.

The site offers an invitation to reflect on military history and heritage preservation, serving as tangible testimony of a decisive period for Portugal and for Europe.

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