Fortress of Serra do Formoso

Category: Military Architecture > Fort

District: Lisboa > Vila Franca de Xira > São João dos Montes > Adanaia

Location

The Forte Novo da Serra do Formoso is located in the Adanaia area, part of the locality of São João dos Montes, in the municipality of Vila Franca de Xira. Situated at an altitude of 309 meters, at the top of Serra do Formoso, this spot offers a rural setting. Its strategic position, opposite the heights of Alhandra, allowed for comprehensive control of the surrounding area, still providing an interesting perspective on the surrounding landscape today.

Legacy of the French Invasions

This fort, identified as Military Work No. 120, is a fundamental vestige of the 1st Defensive Line of the historic Lines of Torres Vedras. Built in the 19th century, it played a crucial role during the French Invasions, integrating a vast system of fortifications designed to protect Lisbon. Its existence is a testament to the military engineering of the time and the country's defensive effort against Napoleonic threats.

Structure and Original Function

With a pentagonal shape, albeit small, the Forte Novo da Serra do Formoso was planned to house a garrison of 130 men. Its structures included a powder magazine for storing gunpowder, trenches for defense, and embrasures equipped with 9 and 12-calibre artillery pieces. Its main mission was to defend the left flank of Subserra, acting as an essential supporting redoubt in the defense line. Despite its current state of preservation, it is still possible to observe two of the embrasures and part of the robust walls of the powder magazine, elements that allow one to imagine its past importance.

Landscape Setting

Although the fort's structures are quite integrated into the surrounding vegetation, its elevated location on Serra do Formoso offers an environment of tranquility and a view that extends over much of the rural landscape. The site, now recognized as a historical and cultural landmark, allows direct contact with the nature of the mountain range, ideal for those who appreciate the combination of heritage and the outdoors.

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