Fort of São Neutel

Category: Military Architecture > Fort

District: Vila Real > Chaves > Chaves > Telhado

Location

São Neutel Fort rises majestically on a flattened hill, in the northern part of the city of Chaves. Its elevated position allows for an unobstructed view of the fortification, standing out in the surrounding urban landscape. It is close to some modern infrastructures, which makes it accessible, while maintaining its own ambiance and a vast open space around it.

Historical and Defensive Value

Built in the 17th century, between 1664 and 1668, São Neutel Fort played a crucial role in the defense of the city of Chaves, complementing existing defensive structures, such as the castle. Its construction was part of the context of the Portuguese Restoration War, serving as a strategic point on the border with Galicia. Throughout the centuries, the fort witnessed various moments of Portuguese history, including a significant battle in 1912 and, during the 20th century, even served as the district's civil prison. It has been recognized as a National Monument since 1938, a testament to its heritage importance.

Bastioned Military Architecture

São Neutel Fort features a unique quadrangular plan, adapted to the terrain, with bastions at its vertices, designed in the style known as Vauban. This 17th-century military engineering is visible in its defensive structure, which includes a deep dry moat and a second line of walls, providing double protection. Access to the fort's interior is via a solid stone bridge that leads to the imposing Gate of Arms. Its walls, built of granite, impress with their thickness and height, varying between one and one and a half meters and between seven and ten meters, respectively.

Interior and Cultural Environment

At the heart of the fort is the Chapel of Our Lady of Brotas, a construction that predates the fort itself, revealing the continuity of a place of worship. This chapel maintains the tradition of an annual tribute to Our Lady, which takes place on Easter Sunday (Pascoela), with a procession and a feast, and where one can observe the image of São Neutel on the altar and a painting of Our Lady of Brotas. Recently, the space has been valued for cultural uses, with the construction of an amphitheater inside in 1994, which hosts concerts and other outdoor activities, integrating its military past with a vibrant cultural life.

The Fountain and the Local Legend

In the inner moat of São Neutel Fort, an enigmatic dipping well emerges, which is not only an architectural feature but also the setting of an ancient legend. It is said that a maiden, transformed into a serpent by her father after falling in love with a young man of humble origins, still waits by this well today, trapped by a spell due to a lost love. The legend also tells of the discovery of a treasure by a washerwoman, but the young woman's enchantment persists, making the well a place of mystery and popular romance among the inhabitants.

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