The Fort of São Sebastião de Caparica ( pt, Forte de São Sebastião de Caparica) also known as the ''Tower of São Sebastião'' ( pt, Torre de São Sebastião) or ''Fortress of the Old Tower'' ( pt, Fortaleza de Torre Velha) is a medieval fortification located in

Monte da Caparica Caparica is a former civil parish in the municipality (''concelho'') of Almada, Lisbon metropolitan area, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged with the civil parish of Trafaria into the new parish Caparica e Trafaria. The population in 2011 was 20 ...

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...

Caparica Caparica is a former civil parish in the municipality (''concelho'') of Almada, Lisbon metropolitan area, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged with the civil parish of Trafaria into the new parish Caparica e Trafaria. The population in 2011 was 2 ...

, in the municipality of

Almada Almada () is a city and a municipality in Portugal, located on the southern margin of the Tagus River, on the opposite side of the river from Lisbon. The two cities are connected by the 25 de Abril Bridge. The population in 2011 was 174,030, in a ...

, in the

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

central region of

Península de Setúbal The Península de Setúbal (; English: ''Setúbal Peninsula'') is a former NUTS III subdivision of Portuguese region of Lisbon (NUTS II). It was abolished at the January 2015 NUTS 3 revision.Tower of Santo António de Cascais (1498) and São Vicente (1512).

History

The ''Old Tower'', situated on the southern margin of the

Tagus River The Tagus ( ; es, Tajo ; pt, Tejo ; see 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, to e ...

, was commissioned by King

John II John II may refer to: People * John Cicero, Elector of Brandenburg (1455–1499) * John II Casimir Vasa of Poland (1609–1672) * John II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch (died 1302) * John II Doukas of Thessaly (1303–1318) * John II Komnenos (1087–1 ...

, on the same site of the older ''Fort of Caparica'' (which was built in the reign of his father, King

John I John I may refer to: People * John I (bishop of Jerusalem) * John Chrysostom (349 – c. 407), Patriarch of Constantinople * John of Antioch (died 441) * Pope John I, Pope from 523 to 526 * John I (exarch) (died 615), Exarch of Ravenna * John I o ...

). The fort received its name ''Torre Velha'' mostly because the structure was considered "older" than the ''

Tower of São Vicente A tower is a tall structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting structures. Towers are specific ...

'' ( pt, Torre de São Vicente), which later be known as the ''Tower of Belém''. Its original structure, from the sketches of

Garcia de Resende Garcia de Resende (14703 February 1536) was a Portuguese poet and editor. He served John II as a page and private secretary. After John's death, he continued to enjoy the same favour with Manuel I, whom he accompanied to Castile in 1498, and fr ...

, comprised a tower and bulwark, similar to the model developed years later in the Fort of Santiago da Barra in

Viana do Castelo Viana do Castelo () is a municipality and seat of the district of Viana do Castelo in the Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 88,725, in an area of 319.02 km². The urbanized area of the municipality, comprising the city, ...

and the

Tower of Belém A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...

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 ...

. Defences along the estuary and port of Lisbon were based on a system of three towers, which were supplied with modern artillery (including the Bulwarks of Cascais and the São Vicente), which cooperated with the naval artillery (which patrolled the waters of the river) to enforce military and fiscal authority. In 1571, following similar initiatives taken at several forts along the Portuguese coast, King

Sebastian Sebastian may refer to: People * Sebastian (name), including a list of persons with the name Arts, entertainment, and media Films and television * ''Sebastian'' (1968 film), British spy film * ''Sebastian'' (1995 film), Swedish drama film ...

ordered the remodelling of the tower. At the time, the fort was named in the Portuguese tradition in honour of ''São Brás'' (''

Saint Blaise Blaise of Sebaste ( hy, Սուրբ Վլասի, ''Surb Vlasi''; el, Ἅγιος Βλάσιος, ''Agios Vlasios''; ) was a physician and bishop of Sebastea in historical Armenia (modern Sivas, Turkey) who is venerated as a Christian saint and m ...

''), the patron saint of artillerymen, and changed to honour the young King (lost at the

Battle of Alcácer Quibir The Battle of Alcácer Quibir (also known as "Battle of Three Kings" ( ar, معركة الملوك الثلاثة) or "Battle of Wadi al-Makhazin" ( ar, معركة وادي المخازن) in Morocco) was fought in northern Morocco, near the t ...

) and

Saint Sebastian Saint Sebastian (in Latin: ''Sebastianus''; Narbo, Gallia Narbonensis, Roman Empire c. AD 255 – Rome, Italia, Roman Empire c. AD 288) was an early Christian saint and martyr. According to traditional belief, he was killed during the Dioclet ...

.H. Pereira de Raul Sousa (1997) Under the responsibility of Afonso Álvares, the new project transformed the fort into a massive fortress, becoming referred to as the ''Fortress of São Sebastião da Caparica'' ( pt, Fortaleza de São Sebastião da Caparica). Between 1580 and 1640 it was referred to locally as the ''Torre dos Castelhanos'' (''Tower of the Castilians''), where it was remodelled structurally to meet the requirements of the

Philippine Dynasty The Philippine dynasty ( pt, dinastia filipina), also known as the House of Habsburg in Portugal, was the third royal house of Portugal. It was named after the three Habsburg Spanish kings, all named Philip (; , ), who ruled Portugal between 1 ...

. Between 1640 and the 18th century, a branch of the Távora dynastic clan in Almada served as governors of the Old Tower, paying particular attention to remodelling during the 17th century. By 1692, the fundamental aspects of the fort were established; the 15th century towers, the walls along the east and south, the three bulwarks, a governor's residence, a chapel (consecrated to

and

), integrated coat-of-arms and a staircase along the southeast facade. In the second half of the 18th century, there are indications that the terrain (and buildings) along the river were consolidated. These aspects were recorded in the ''Coleção Casa de Cadaval'' (''Cadaval House Collection'') in the

Torre do Tombo The National Archive of Torre do Tombo ( pt, Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, ) is the Portuguese national archive located in the civil parish of Alvalade, in the municipality of central-northern Lisbon. Established in 1378, it was renamed the ...

archives. Information from 1767 showed the ''Old Tower'' (now known as ''São Sebastião'') on a hill, providing a crossfire zone with Tower of Belém on the opposite bank of the Tagus. In a report written on 9 September 1794, by Guilherme Luís António de Valleré, directed to the Minister of War ( pt, Ministro da Guerra), the

Duke of Lafões Duke of Lafões (in Portuguese, ''Duque de Lafões''; ) is a Portuguese title of nobility created under the decree of February 17, 1718, of King John V of Portugal and granted to his nephew, ''Dom'' Pedro Henrique de Bragança, the building force ...

, it was indicated that the tower was undergoing restoration. This restoration continued from 1794 to 1796, under the direction of Colonel Francisco D'Alincourt. The fortresses of the southern margin were deactivated in 1801, at the end of the

War of the Oranges The War of the Oranges ( pt, Guerra das Laranjas; french: Guerre des Oranges; es, Guerra de las Naranjas) was a brief conflict in 1801 in which Spanish forces, instigated by the government of France, and ultimately supported by the French mil ...

, when Spanish and French forces invaded Portugal. A survey completed at the end of 1808 included a precise inventory of the armaments in the fort at the time of its decommissioning, including: five 36-calibre bronze pieces, four 18-calibre, nine 12-calibre, five 24-calibre iron pieces, nine 18-calibre iron pieces, six 6-calibre iron pieces, six 45-calibre artillery pieces in state of disrepair, and nine 12-calibre in the same condition, in addition to two marine 36-calibre carts, five marine 24-calibre carts, 13 18-calibre marine carts, six 6-calibre marine carts, and 2400 balls (of two-, eight-, 18- and 36-calibre). It was suggested that, in 1811, the space used to warehouse artillery accessories was used for prisoners. Similarly, on 13 August 1814, it was determined that the Fort could serve as quarantine for lodging passengers and crews suspected of carrying contagious diseases. This included

Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro (21 March 1846 – 23 January 1905; spelled Raphael Bordallo Pinheiro in older Portuguese orthography) was a Portuguese artist known for his illustration, caricatures, sculpture, and ceramics designs. Bordalo Pinheiro ...

who was suspected of having

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In ...

, and was eventually sent to

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

; the artist and humourist later made light of Portuguese regulations and poor treatment facilities. On 29 May 1815, the fort was deactivated by order of the government, while part of its buildings were conserved as lodging for the security forces used to guard people in quarantine and those with

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. This nerve damag ...

. A new survey of the munitions on site in January 1828 revealed a smaller quantity of artillery, including: one 28-calibre iron piece; six 6-calibre iron pieces; 17 13-calibre iron pieces; two 98-calibre iron

mortars Mortar may refer to: * Mortar (weapon), an indirect-fire infantry weapon * Mortar (masonry), a material used to fill the gaps between blocks and bind them together * Mortar and pestle, a tool pair used to crush or grind * Mortar, Bihar, a village i ...

; 2,500 balls (of various calibres) and 50 9-calibre bombs. In 1832, the tower was remodelled and reactivated once more. On recommissioning the batteries had a smaller complement of munitions and artillery, including: two 26-calibre pieces; six 24-calibre pieces and three 18-calibre weapons. The complement of soldiers garrisoning the site included one subordinate, one sergeant, three privates and 31 soldiers. By the middle of the 19th century, the ''Old Tower'' was declared of no interest, and began acting as a second-class military facility. But, by 1894, the site was no longer used for this purpose, and began to serve as storage and housing (acting as an annex for the munitions warehouses of nearby Porto Brandão). In 1859, its quarantine role was discontinued, passing to another institution nearby, although the guards continued to be housed onsite. Eventually, the fortress was abandoned. The process to classify the Old Tower began in 1982, ending in its recognition as a

National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a spec ...

( pt, Monumento Nacional) on 12 April 1996.

Architecture

The structure is located on ''Periurban'', a hill on the southern shore of the

, between two small creeks, that of the Porto Brandão and Paulina, approximately opposite the

. The U-shaped plan is formed from three corps, two oriented to the south, with the final "rounded" block (joining the two), serving as the battery's esplanade. At the southwest corner of the fortress, is the bulwark and watchtower. Around the principal nucleus of the fortress is a second tier of spaces used for lodging; there are three bulwarks and barracks (one on the northeast, another along the southeast and a final one in the south, along the wall with cannons). Owing to erosion of the front/seaside facade, it is impossible to determine any further archaeological significance. The buildings over the older parapets were the result of the structure's transformation into shelter/residences for lepers, and consist of six "T" shaped extensions to the main structure to create the ''Asilo de Caparica'' (''Asylum of Caparica''). The central area of the fort is an ample rectangular space with doorway and window, with the residence of the governor alongside. The fortress survived into the 20th century, maintaining many of the fundamental aspects established in the 17th century, in a plan designed in 1692. The design was ostensibly a "U" shaped plan, composed of three spaces and three bulwarks with barracks, one of the extremities of the fort extends from a battlement to a watchtower. Alongside the gate, is a chapel, constructed and dedicated to São Sebastião. The central body of the ''Old Tower'' was a rectangular plan, with the Governor's house inside. The old gate of the main square, near the tower, includes a coat-of-arms of Portugal. The battlements consist of 15th century stonework, while the tower, the corbels, gatehouse and gateway access to the chapel were constructed in the 17th century. At the end of the 18th century, the fortress received new remodelling, possibly involving consolidation of the fortifications, under the supervision of Colonel Francisco D'Alincourt.Rual Sousa (1997) The battlements and

machicolation A machicolation (french: mâchicoulis) is a floor opening between the supporting corbels of a battlement, through which stones or other material, such as boiling water, hot sand, quicklime or boiling cooking oil, could be dropped on attackers at t ...

s are still visible on the walls, with the beams of another on the top floors. This part of the tower is covered in a barrel vault, while a terrace is located on its surface, with an external staircase to access the second floor (between the floor and roof), allowing communication between both by doorway. Small calibre artillery or machicolations probably supported the balcony and wall. A coat-of-arms is located on the lintel of the door, in the old military square, with the Portuguese heraldry.

References

;Notes ;Sources * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fort of Sao Sebastiao de Caparica Buildings and structures in Almada Sao Sebastiao da Caparica National monuments in Setúbal District