Fortaleza de Santiago
FORTRESS — VESPERS — CONCERTS
As imposing as it is unnecessary, the fortress in Sesimbra is constantly overlooked as people hurry past. Just take a moment to go inside. The tourist information office is also located there.
In 1640, after 60 years of Spanish rule, Portugal regained independence and expected war. Hence, fortifications were built or expanded — including ours. There was already a predecessor building by the early 16th century, right in the midst of the village’s biggest political event:
In 1602, the São Valentinho attempted to hide from an English fleet in the bay of Sesimbra. It didn’t go well. The navy destroyed the fort, killed 800 opponents, and handed over the captured carrack with cargo from India worth a million ducats to the Queen. This covered the costs for the war year. After the battle, both parties dined together on the flagship. Quite a story.
Fortunately, the Independence War against Spain was relatively mild, with the worst battle before today’s fortress being the fight of Gulliver against a horde of Lilliputians. In 1995. For a Hollywood film.
Modernization from 1642 was overseen by Joannes Cieremans, which is somewhat peculiar because Cieremans was a Catholic Dutchman — and theoretically should have been pro-Spain. He only realized this six years later, switched sides, and died in a shootout in a fortress he had built himself. Regardless, he is considered the country’s most important military architect as the ”Cosmander.” If you get a chance, visit Elvas, the center of a short war that didn’t reach Sesimbra.
In the 18th century, Sesimbra became the summer retreat for three of the ”Children of Palhavã” — a nickname for the illegitimate offspring of John V, the Portuguese version of Sun King. After his death, there was a written request to his son and successor not to restrict the privileges of the ”bastards”: António von Bragança was a Knight of the Order of Christ, his brother Gaspard was the Archbishop of Braga and thus the head of the entire Iberian Church, and José took on the role of Grand Inquisitor.
On the outskirts, the Forte do Cavalo, also designed by Cosmander, sits unnoticed by tourists. You pass by it on the way to Ribeira de Cavalo.
Later, the fort served as an arsenal, then established itself as a customs post. In more recent times, it housed the village police, then the tourist information office. Today, you can visit the Naval Museum and enjoy good concerts there in the summer.