The Fort of Alto do Duque is located 75 meters above sea level at the southwestern tip of the
Monsanto Forest Park, in the parish of
Ajuda
Ajuda () is a ''freguesia'' (civil parish) and district of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Ajuda is located in western Lisbon, northeast of Belém and west of Alcântara. The population in 2011 was 15,617.[Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...]
's capital of
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
. Built at the end of the 19th century as part of Lisbon's ''
Campo Entrincheirado
The ''Campo Entrincheirado'' (Entrenched Field) is a group of fortifications built at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century to protect the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, against invasion. It followed the boundaries of the city ...
'' (Entrenched Field) defensive ring around the city, with the intention that it, together with the
Fort of Bom Sucesso
The Fort of Bom Sucesso ( pt, Forte do Bom Sucesso) is located slightly to the west of the Belém Tower in Belém in the municipality of Lisbon, in Portugal. It now houses the ''Museu do Combatente'' (Combatant’s museum) and the Monument to Over ...
, would defend against attacks along the River
Tagus
The Tagus ( ; es, Tajo ; pt, Tejo ; see #Name, below) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally west with two main south-westward sections ...
, the fort is now headquarters of the criminal investigation division of the
Polícia de Segurança Pública
The Polícia de Segurança Pública MHTE (PSP; ''Public Security Police'') is the national civil police force of Portugal. Part of the Portuguese security forces, the mission of the PSP is to defend Republican democracy, safeguarding internal se ...
(PSP) in Lisbon.
Construction
Construction of the fort took place between 1875 and 1890, on land that was part of a farm owned by the
Duke of Cadaval
The Dukes of Cadaval have their origins in ''Dom'' Álvaro of Braganza, Lord of Tentúgal, Póvoa, Buarcos and Cadaval, 4th male son of ''Dom'' Ferdinand I, 2nd Duke of Braganza. ''Dom'' Álvaro married ''Dona'' Filipa de Melo, the rich daught ...
. Situated on a hill with dominant view over the downtown area of the Lisbon suburb of
Algés and the Tagus, it has an irregular pentagonal shape, largely buried at the level of the land, and surrounded by a moat. The central area is covered by a dome. There is also a separate barracks building separated from the main building by the moat and connected by a bridge. The fort is officially named as “Military Building No. 31 / Lisbon.
Uses
On 17 April 1901, it was the scene of the first wireless connection in the country, transmitting a message across the Tagus to a receiving station installed at the Fort of Trafaria, on the other bank of the Tagus, a distance of 4,300 meters. During a period of labour strikes in 1912 it was, together with several other forts, used to detain strikers.15 cm SK L/40 naval gun
The 15 cm SK L/40SK - ''Schnelladekanone'' (quick loading cannon); ''L - Länge in Kaliber'' ( length in caliber) was a German naval gun that was used as secondary armament on pre-dreadnought battleships, protected cruisers and armored cruis ...
s manufactured by Krupp.[ Starting in 1932, a detachment trusted by the regime, known as the "Detachment of Alto do Duque Fort", was posted there. In 1936, it responded to the artillery fire of Portuguese naval vessels that revolted and tried to leave the Tagus to support the Spanish Republican cause in opposition to General ]Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War ...
during the Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
(1936-39). During the period known as the Processo Revolucionário Em Curso (Revolutionary process in progress) following the Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution ( pt, Revolução dos Cravos), also known as the 25 April ( pt, 25 de Abril, links=no), was a military coup by left-leaning military officers that overthrew the authoritarian Estado Novo regime on 25 April 1974 in Lisbo ...
of 25 April 1974, which overthrew the authoritarian '' Estado Novo'' regime, the fort was briefly headquarters to COPCON
The Comando Operacional do Continente (COPCON, ) was a military command for Portugal created by the Armed Forces Movement in the period following the revolution of 25 April 1974 and was dissolved after the failed far left coup of 25 November 1975 ...
, a military command created by the left-leaning Armed Forces Movement
230px, A mural dedicated to the MFA, it reads: "Towards freedom. Long live the 25th of April!"
The Armed Forces Movement ( pt, Movimento das Forças Armadas; MFA) was an organization of lower-ranking, politically left-leaning officers in the Por ...
. This was dissolved after the failed left-wing Coup of 25 November 1975
The Coup of 25 November 1975 (usually referred to as the ' in Portugal) was a failed military ''coup d'état'' against the post-Carnation Revolution governing bodies of Portugal. This attempt was carried out by Portuguese far-left activists, who ...
. Later it hosted the Defence Strategic Information Service (SIED), before being transferred to the PSP.[
]
References
{{Bastion forts in Portugal, state=collapsed
Alto do Duque
Campo Entrincheirado