Fuerte de San Juan Bautista de Foz (Porto)
Vídeos
Datos Clave
- Fortaleza histórica en la desembocadura del río Duero en Oporto.
- Ofrece vistas al río, al mar y a la costa atlántica.
- Su construcción original data de 1570, durante el reinado de Sebastián I.
- Desempeñó un papel crucial en la defensa costera y fluvial de la ciudad.
- Fue escenario de momentos importantes de la historia portuguesa, incluyendo la Guerra Peninsular y el Sitio de Oporto.
- La poeta Florbela Espanca vivió en el fuerte en 1921.
Tiempo
En Porto
El Fuerte de San Juan Bautista de Foz, también conocido como Castillo de San Juan de Foz o Fortaleza de Foz do Douro, se alza en uno de los puntos más simbólicos de Porto: la desembocadura del Duero, donde el río se encuentra con el Atlántico. Su posición dominante explica la función para la que fue concebido, vigilando el acceso fluvial a la ciudad y una de las entradas marítimas más importantes del norte de Portugal.
Entre el Duero y el Atlántico
La visita interesa tanto por la historia como por el paisaje. El fuerte está situado en Foz do Douro, cerca del Jardim do Passeio Alegre, con vistas abiertas al río, al mar y al frente costero. Es una parada recomendable para entender la relación de Porto con la navegación, la defensa costera y su identidad atlántica.
Capas de historia
El origen de la fortificación se remonta al reinado de Sebastián I. Las obras comenzaron en 1570 y la primera estructura se asocia al maestro de fortificaciones Simão de Ruão. El conjunto integró antiguas construcciones religiosas vinculadas a los benedictinos de Santo Tirso y estuvo relacionado con una iglesia renacentista y un palacio abacial promovidos por Miguel da Silva, con proyecto atribuido a Francesco de Cremona.
Tras la Restauración de la Independencia portuguesa, en el siglo XVII, la defensa de la costa ganó una nueva urgencia. El ingeniero francés Charles Lassart preparó una remodelación más robusta, adaptada a las necesidades militares de la época, y las obras quedaron a cargo del arquitecto benedictino João Turriano. El fuerte fue ampliado con baluartes y una organización pensada para concentrar la artillería sobre todo hacia el lado de tierra.
Del uso militar al patrimonio
El fuerte participó en varios momentos relevantes de la historia portuguesa. En 1808, durante la Guerra Peninsular, aquí se izó la bandera portuguesa en uno de los primeros gestos de reacción contra la ocupación napoleónica. Más tarde, durante el Sitio de Porto, ayudó a proteger el desembarco de suministros para las fuerzas liberales.
Con la evolución de la artillería y de las embarcaciones, su función defensiva perdió importancia. El espacio llegó a utilizarse como prisión política y quedó asociado a episodios como la detención de jesuitas en el siglo XVIII. En el siglo XX sumó además una curiosa conexión literaria: la poeta Florbela Espanca vivió en el fuerte en 1921 con su marido, oficial de la guarnición.
Qué observar
A pesar de las transformaciones, todavía se perciben la escala defensiva del conjunto, su implantación estratégica sobre la desembocadura del Duero y elementos como el portal neoclásico construido a finales del siglo XVIII. Clasificado como Inmueble de Interés Público desde 1967, el Fuerte de San Juan Bautista de Foz sigue siendo una parada atractiva para quienes disfrutan del patrimonio militar, la historia de Porto y las vistas al mar.
Como no funciona como un monumento turístico convencional, conviene confirmar previamente las condiciones de visita, especialmente en el caso de grupos.
Sobre Porto
La Invicta, ciudad Patrimonio Mundial con su centro histórico ribereño. Capital del Norte, famosa por el vino de Oporto, puentes y francesinha.
Reseñas de Google
One of many forts in the area. Highlights for this one include it being free to enter, nice landscaping, and excellent location. This fort operates as a city park this is free (no cost) to enter. The landscaping inside and outside the perimeter wall is well manicured—it looks so nice. While many forts in town provide views of one or the other, this fort provides views of both the ocean and the Douro Rover as it flows into the Atlantic. On our visit, we were able to freely walk nearly the entire property which included a few rooms inside, much of the upper parapet, moat areas, and an exterior courtyard within the perimeter wall. It was not crowded at all—I think we only saw two other people on our early morning, weekday visit. Again, there are several of these forts in town, but I think this was my favorite.
Great Fort, lots of things to see. It is free to get in. Lovely views on a clear day. Well worth 30 to 60 minutes to look around.
It was quite a walk from downtown Porto, but well worth it! The fort itself is small, but free to wander in and the ruins of the church inside were very interesting. We stopped at a couple of botanical gardens along the way that were very enjoyable as well. Seeing where the Douro joins the Atlantic was a great addition to the other sites we saw while in Porto.
The abbot of Santo Tirso monastery and bishop of Viseu, Dom Miguel da Silva, had a church and abbots residence built where the fort now stands, for which he resorted to the services of the Italian architect Francesco de Cremona. Together with the São Miguel-o-Anjo Lighthouse (completed in 1527 a few hundred meters away from the fort), they were the first manifestations of Renaissance architecture in Northern Portugal). The fort was commissioned in 1567, one year after an attack by French pirates on Madeira.[1] Construction of the fort began during the reign of King Sebastian (1557–1578), in 1570, and took eight years, under the supervision of João Gomes da Silva, a diplomat and trusted man of the Court and designed by the master of fortifications Simão de Rouen, son of Jean de Rouen, it consisted of a simple bastioned structure, surrounding the old medieval structures of the hospice, monastery, and the church of the Benedictines of Santo Tirso. With the War of Restoration of independence, the remodeling of the fort was deemed necessary. Fearing a Spanish invasion along the northern border of the kingdom, King John IV (1640–56) dispatched the new Chief Engineer of the Kingdom, the French Charles Lassart, to the city of Porto in 1642. He had the opportunity to verify, in loco, the ineffectiveness of the 16th century structure in the face of 17th century offensive means, and he prepared a new project that expanded and reinforced it. The works were in charge of the Benedictine architect João Turriano. However, problems raised by the source of funds at the Porto City Council and personal problems of the forts Lieutenant-Governor Pinto de Matos (1643–1645) significantly delayed the start of the works. With the appointment of Martim Gonçalves da Câmara, as a replacement for Pinto de Matos (May 1646), work finally started, with the demolition of the Old Church in the same year. The chancel and nave of the church, with the involvement of the bastioned structure and the dismantling of the cover, functioned as the fort's courtyard.[1] Made a priority in the face of the invasion of Minho by Spanish troops, they were completed in 1653. Two years later, it was considered the second stronghold in the kingdom, after Fort São Julião da Barra, and the key to the city of Porto, which the fort not only secured but also the entire province of Entre-Douro e Minho and that of Beira. At the end of the 17th century, in 1694, it was garrisoned by an infantry terço paid by the Porto city hall. As a result of the evolution of ships and artillery, the fort gradually lost its defensive function, being used as a prison for political prisoners. In 1759, when the Society of Jesus was expelt, 227 Jesuits were held there. Among the illustrious names who were detained in their prisons, at the time of the Marquis of Pombal stand out those of Tomás da Silva Teles, Viscount of Vila Nova de Cerveira (who died there in 1762), and José de Seabra da Silva, and in the 19th century, the liberals José da Silva Passos and the Duke of Terceira. At the beginning of the 19th century, during the Peninsular War, on June 6, 1808, Sergeant Major Raimundo José Pinheiro occupied its premises and, in the following dawn, hoisted the Portuguese flag on its mast, the first act of Portuguese insurrection against the Napoleonic occupation. The fortification would be involved a few years later in the Portuguese Civil War, having protected the landing of supplies, during the siege of Porto (1832–1833). In the 20th century it was the residence of the poet Florbela Espanca, wife of one of the officers of the garrison. It was classified as a "Property of Public Interest" in 1967.[1] After being abandoned for a few years, in the first half of the 1990s, the monument underwent archaeological intervention under the responsibility of the Urban Archeology Office of the Museum and Historical and Artistic Heritage Division of the Porto city council. It currently houses the National Defense Institute.
Interesting 16th century defensive fort that you can freely explore. It has a few interesting nooks and crannies, and the abandoned remains of the old church of Sao Joao da Foz do Doura which had been built by the order of the Bishop Dom Miguel da Silva and designed by the italian architect Francesco da Cremona. Not all of the fort and church is accessible because it's a bit in disrepair and some areas are full of debris or just dangerous. I'm not sure why the Portuguese government hasn't taken better care of it... This fort was a key part of the coastal defenses protecting the Douro bar. Its construction began in 1570 and was completed in 1647 when the existing ramparts were built.
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