The Butcher's Den

Category: Archaeology > Redoubt

District: Lisboa > Torres Vedras > Barrocas > São Pedro da Cadeira

Location

The Bececaria Redoubt is located in the village of Barrocas, belonging to the parish of São Pedro da Cadeira, in the municipality of Torres Vedras. Built at an altitude of 34 meters, this site is set in a predominantly rural environment, offering contact with the region's natural landscape. Its position provides a vantage point over the surroundings, characteristic of its original function.

19th Century Military Memory

This redoubt, also known as Forte de Bececarias, is a notable example of 19th-century military architecture. It represents one of the works that comprised the first line of the vast defensive system of the Lines of Torres Vedras. Built in the context of the French Invasions, the Bececaria Redoubt was designed to accommodate a garrison of approximately 250 soldiers and would have had six artillery pieces, demonstrating its strategic relevance at the time.

Legacy of the Peninsular War

The history of the Bececaria Redoubt is intrinsically linked to the events of the Peninsular War, when General Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington, ordered the construction of these defensive lines to protect Lisbon. The designation "Bessecaria" was given to it in 1810 by Major Brandão de Sousa. Currently, the redoubt is preserved as a historical-cultural landmark, inviting a journey into the past and an understanding of the strategic role these forts played in the defense of the national territory.

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