Fort of Nossa Senhora da Rocha (Porches)

The Fort of Nossa Senhora da Rocha (Porches), (Fort of Our Lady of the Rock), also known as Porches Castle, is situated in the freguesia of Porches, in the concelho of Lagoa (Algarve) in Portugal. Inside the fort is the Shrine of Nossa Senhora da Rocha, of uncertain date.

History

Earliest years

With a privileged location, on a promentory dominating the coast, between ancient “Ossonoba” (today, Faro) and “Lacobriga” (today, Lagos), the fort protected the beach and a small port, the unique access to this part of the coast. Despite a lack of archaeological research, scholars believe that at the time of the Muslim invasion of the Iberian peninsula, the site was already a military fortification.

Medieval period

There are no local records which shed light on the castle or fort, and it is nothing is mentioned in writing until a grant by King [Afonso III of Portugal|Afonso III] (1248-1279) to his chancellor, D. Estevão, in a document sent to the people of Santa Maria de Faro, dated February 1250. Legend tied to an apparition of the Virgin at the shrine has King Denis (1279-1325) ordering the construction of fortifications to protect the site.

The castle up to today

We know that King João III (1521-1557) ordered the construction of forts along the coast to defend the beaches and settlements from Moorish pirates. There is a reference to the existence of a local fort at the end of the 16th century, at the time that Tomé Gonçalves is mentioned as its governor.

At the beginning of the 19th century the structure was already described as bady damaged (1821), which major sections of its perimeter eroded by the sea eating away at the base of the cliff.

The Fort and Shrine were registered as “important public buildings” (“Imóvel de Interesse Público) in a decree of 25 October 1963. At the time the site underwent partial restoration, carried out by the Director General of National Buildings and Monuments (Direcção-Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais).

External links

* [http://www.monumentos.pt/scripts/zope.pcgi/ipa/pages/frameset?nome=ipa&upframe=upframe3&downframe=ipa.html Inventário do Património Arquitectónico (DGEMN)]
* [http://www.ipa.min-cultura.pt/ Instituto Português de Arqueologia]
* [http://www.ippar.pt/pls/dippar/pat_pesq_detalhe?code_pass=73026 Forte e Capela de Nossa Senhora da Rocha (Pesquisa de Património / IPPAR)]