Fort of Peniche, National museum in fortress complex at Peniche, Portugal
The Fort of Peniche is a national museum housed in a 16th-century fortress on Portugal's coast, featuring thick stone walls and multiple exhibition spaces within its military complex. The building contains different levels, underground areas, and preserved structures that reveal its long history as a coastal defense post and later as a detention facility.
The fortress was built in 1557 to defend Portugal's coast against pirates and served as a military installation for centuries. During the dictatorship from 1934 to 1974, it was transformed into a prison for political detainees and became central to the regime's suppression of opponents.
The museum displays personal belongings and testimonies from people who were held as political prisoners within these walls during the dictatorship. Visitors can walk through the actual cells and spaces where prisoners were confined, learning about their resistance against the authoritarian government.
The fortress sits directly on the coast and is accessible on foot from Peniche town center, with stairs and pathways leading through the different levels of the building. Allow plenty of time to explore, as the structure has multiple floors and steep passages that require careful navigation through its various exhibition areas.
In January 1960, ten detainees carried out a remarkable escape from Block C, coordinated by Communist Party leader Alvaro Cunhal. This event stands as one of the few successful escapes from the facility and remains closely studied by visitors today.
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