Fort of Santa Catarina

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Fort of Santa Catarina, 17th century coastal fort in Praia da Rocha, Portugal

The Fort of Santa Catarina features a trapezoidal layout with battlements, cannons, and stairs leading down to the beach at Praia da Rocha.

Military engineer Alexandre Massai designed and built this defensive structure between 1621 and 1633 to protect against pirates during Portuguese-Spanish rule.

The fort represents a significant period of Portuguese maritime defense, illustrating the architectural and military strategies of the 17th century Iberian peninsula.

Located at Avenida Tomas Cabreira in Portimão, this free-access fortification provides observation points of the Arade River and the Atlantic Ocean.

The fort maintains its original well and contains an information board with historical tiles detailing its strategic role in coastal defense.

Location: Portimão (freguesia)

Inception: 1633

GPS coordinates: 37.11634,-8.52959

Latest update: March 7, 2025 06:59

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