Haystack Haven

Category: Archaeology > Redoubt

District: Lisboa > Torres Vedras > Santa Maria, São Pedro e Matacães > Ribeira de Pedrulhos

Location

Located in the Lisbon district, in the municipality of Torres Vedras, the Palheiros Redoubt is situated in the locality of Santa Maria, São Pedro e Matacães, specifically in the area known as Ribeira de Pedrulhos. This location is set within a typically rural and serene landscape, characterized by gentle elevations and valleys, which once played a crucial strategic role. Its position offers a perspective on the natural surroundings, allowing visitors to appreciate the tranquility and rustic beauty of the region.

Legacy of the Lines of Torres

The Palheiros Redoubt is one of the hundreds of military works that make up the notable Lines of Torres Vedras, identified as Military Work 132. This monumental defensive system was built in secret between 1809 and 1810, with the primary objective of protecting Lisbon from a possible invasion by French troops during the Peninsular Wars. Redoubts, like Palheiros, were fundamental components of this vast defensive network, strategically positioned to control access points and impede enemy advance, demonstrating the military engineering and defensive vision of the era.

Structure and Vestiges

As an element of the Lines of Torres Vedras, the structure of the Palheiros Redoubt reflects the typology of field fortifications of that period. Typically, these works consisted of rammed earth ramparts, dry ditches, and earthworks, designed to house light artillery and infantry garrisons. Although time and nature have shaped its original form, the present vestiges allow a glimpse of its defensive configuration. When exploring the site, it is possible to identify the outlines that once constituted an effective barrier, testifying to its functional construction adapted to the terrain.

A Point of Historical Memory

Visiting the Palheiros Redoubt offers an opportunity for direct contact with a significant chapter of Portuguese and European history. This modest site, in its dimensions, holds the significance of a collective effort for the defense of the national territory. Its preservation, even through its vestiges, invites reflection on the events that unfolded here, the resilience of the populations, and the importance of the Lines of Torres Vedras in shaping the nation's destiny. It is a space to contemplate history and the landscape that served as its stage.

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