The Lines of Torres Vedras were lines of

forts A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

and other military defences built in secrecy to defend

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 ...

, capital of

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 ...

, from the French during the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...

. Named after the town of Torres Vedras, their construction was ordered by the commander of the British troops,

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister o ...

. The Lines were declared a National Heritage by the Portuguese Government in March 2019. In total, 152 military works were carried out from October 1809 to 1812 by Portuguese workers supervised by British engineers. Most involved completely new constructions, although some existing structures, such as the castle at Torres Vedras, were adapted and it was also common to incorporate existing hilltop windmills in the designs. Some of the forts remain visible and 29 are maintained by the municipalities of Torres Vedras, Arruda dos Vinhos, Loures,

Mafra Mafra is a Czech media group that publishes printed and internet media, headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic. It is a subsidiary of Agrofert holding conglomerate owned by trust of Andrej Babiš, the former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. ...

, Sobral de Monte Agraço, and Vila Franca de Xira. Much restoration work has been carried out to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Lines.

Forts

Citations

References

External links

* {{Commons category-inline, Lines of Torres Vedras
Friends of the Lines of Torres Vedras

British Historical Society of Portugal
which organizes regular guided visits to the forts.
Photographs and map of fort locations
Forts in Portugal Lines of Torres Vedras