Fort of São João do Arade
Encyclopedia
The Fort of São João do Arade (Portuguese: Forte de São João do Arade, sometimes called the Castelo [= Castle] de São João do Arade, or simply the Castelo do Arade) is located in the Algarve in the town and civil parish/freguesia
of Ferragudo
, in the municipality/concelho
of Lagoa
, in Portugal
.
Map location: 37°07′12"N 8°31′20"W
Situated in a dominant position at the mouth of the Rio Arade
, the elevated site divides two beaches: the Praia da Angrinha
and the Praia Grande
. Together with the Forte de Santa Catarina
, on the water front of Portimão
, the fort defends the estuary
and the river itself.
on the site consisted of a watch tower erected in the reign of King John II of Portugal
(1481-1495). Later, when the settlement of Ferragudo was established (1520), it is believed that it was encircled with a defensive wall, built on top of the ruins of older ones dated from the time of the watch tower.
About 1643, with a view to defending the estuary
even before the settlement existed, an artillery
bulwark was erected downstream on a rocky height. The effect of the elements (the sea and time), and especially a violent storm in 1669, caused severe damage to the bulwark.
After repairs the fortifications were inspected in 1754 by the Governor of the Kingdom of the Algarve, D. Rodrigo António de Noronha e Meneses, and they were considered to be in perfect condition. At that time there were two batteries of artillery:
In the following year there was severe damage from the 1755 Earthquake
, even to the foundations. In 1765 a new inspection reported that since all of its buildings were in ruins, 80 mil-reis
were spent for reconstruction.
for de 600 mil-reis
.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, as a private estate, the poet Coelho Carvalho undertook extensive renovations to create a residence reflecting his personal taste. Still in private hands, it has been classified as a historic building by the Instituto Português do Património Arquitectónico (IPPAR) since 1975.
The site is well preserved, with a large walled garden stretching from Praia da Angrinha
to Praia Grande
. It includes a large residence. As well, parts of the fortifications, on various levels, are still intact.
Freguesia
Freguesia is the Portuguese term for a secondary local administrative unit in Portugal and some of its former colonies, and a former secondary local administrative unit in Macau, roughly equivalent to an administrative parish. A freguesia is a subdivision of a concelho, the Portuguese synonym term...
of Ferragudo
Ferragudo
Ferragudo is a Portuguese civil parish at the western border of the municipality of Lagoa Municipality, covering an area of 5.41 km² and encompassing a small population of 1867 inhabitants...
, in the municipality/concelho
Concelho
Concelho , in the Portuguese language, is the word municipality, when referring to the territory. The word município is used when municipality means the organ of State...
of Lagoa
Lagoa (Algarve)
Lagoa Municipality is a Portuguese municipality in Faro District, in the region known as the Algarve, with about 6,100 inhabitants.Its seat is the city of Lagoa....
, in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
Map location: 37°07′12"N 8°31′20"W
Situated in a dominant position at the mouth of the Rio Arade
Arade
The Arade is a river located in the region of the Algarve, southern Portugal. the river's course takes it through the municipalities of Silves, Lagoa and Portimão. The source of the river lies to the southwest of the Serra do Caldeirão mountain ridge, in a valley called Barranco do Pé do Coelho....
, the elevated site divides two beaches: the Praia da Angrinha
Praia da Angrinha (Ferragudo)
Praia da Angrinha is situated along the wide estuary of the Rio Arade, south of Ferragudo, in the municipality/concelho of Lagoa.Map location:...
and the Praia Grande
Praia Grande (Ferragudo)
Praia Grande is on the east bank of the wide estuary of the Rio Arade, south of Ferragudo, in the municipality/concelho of Lagoa , in Portugal.Map location:...
. Together with the Forte de Santa Catarina
Fort of Santa Catarina
The Fort of Santa Catarina is in the municipality/concelho of Portimão in the Algarve in Portugal.Map location:...
, on the water front of Portimão
Portimão
Portimão is a Portuguese town located in the District of Faro in the Region of Algarve, the southern coast of Portugal. It was formerly known as Vila Nova de Portimão . In 1924, it was incorporated as a cidade and became known merely as Portimão. The town has 41,000 inhabitants and the Portimão...
, the fort defends the estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
and the river itself.
Antecedents
The first fortificationFortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
on the site consisted of a watch tower erected in the reign of King John II of Portugal
John II of Portugal
John II , the Perfect Prince , was the thirteenth king of Portugal and the Algarves...
(1481-1495). Later, when the settlement of Ferragudo was established (1520), it is believed that it was encircled with a defensive wall, built on top of the ruins of older ones dated from the time of the watch tower.
The seventeenth-century fort
According to a report of Alexandre Massai, the battlements already existed in 1621, since he refers to “um sítio cercado chamado Ferragudo” (“a walled site called Ferragudo”) (Descripção do Reino do Algarve..., 1621).About 1643, with a view to defending the estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
even before the settlement existed, an artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
bulwark was erected downstream on a rocky height. The effect of the elements (the sea and time), and especially a violent storm in 1669, caused severe damage to the bulwark.
After repairs the fortifications were inspected in 1754 by the Governor of the Kingdom of the Algarve, D. Rodrigo António de Noronha e Meneses, and they were considered to be in perfect condition. At that time there were two batteries of artillery:
- the “Lower Battery” with three pieces of artillery;
- the “Upper Battery” with four pieces.
In the following year there was severe damage from the 1755 Earthquake
1755 Lisbon earthquake
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that took place on Saturday 1 November 1755, at around 9:40 in the morning. The earthquake was followed by fires and a tsunami, which almost totally destroyed Lisbon in the Kingdom of Portugal, and...
, even to the foundations. In 1765 a new inspection reported that since all of its buildings were in ruins, 80 mil-reis
Portuguese real
The real was the unit of currency of Portugal from around 1430 until 1911. It replaced the dinheiro at the rate of 1 real = 840 dinheiros and was itself replaced by the escudo at a rate of 1 escudo = 1000 réis...
were spent for reconstruction.
The 19th century and later
After the Concession (or Convention) of Évora Monte, the fort fell into disuse and was declassified in 1896. Later it was sold at a public auctionPublic auction
A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....
for de 600 mil-reis
Portuguese real
The real was the unit of currency of Portugal from around 1430 until 1911. It replaced the dinheiro at the rate of 1 real = 840 dinheiros and was itself replaced by the escudo at a rate of 1 escudo = 1000 réis...
.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, as a private estate, the poet Coelho Carvalho undertook extensive renovations to create a residence reflecting his personal taste. Still in private hands, it has been classified as a historic building by the Instituto Português do Património Arquitectónico (IPPAR) since 1975.
The site is well preserved, with a large walled garden stretching from Praia da Angrinha
Praia da Angrinha (Ferragudo)
Praia da Angrinha is situated along the wide estuary of the Rio Arade, south of Ferragudo, in the municipality/concelho of Lagoa.Map location:...
to Praia Grande
Praia Grande (Ferragudo)
Praia Grande is on the east bank of the wide estuary of the Rio Arade, south of Ferragudo, in the municipality/concelho of Lagoa , in Portugal.Map location:...
. It includes a large residence. As well, parts of the fortifications, on various levels, are still intact.