The Icing on the Cake!
This beautiful building was clearly visible from our apartment - I loved the "icing" look of the whole fort. It looked different at every time of the day...but always beautiful.
Earliest Years:
With a privileged location, on a promontory 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 badly damaged (1821), as major sections of its perimeter were 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).
Tags: Portugal May 2010 Algarve Armacao de Pera Nossa Senhora de Rocha Shrine White Tiles Cross Holiday 2010 my_gear_and_me_premium
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Please see the previous photograph, if you would like to read the history of this lovely place, or have a look at the notice board below.....
Tags: Portugal Algarve Armacao de Pera Nossa Senhora da Rocha Old Chapel Sea Blue sky Seagull Shrine May 2010
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This bell is to be seen on the right of the spire.
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This lovely gull visited us several times every day and took food from my hand - he even let me touch him - so soft! We think he had a mate sitting on a nest nearby.
Tags: Yellow Legged Gull Algarve Portugal 2010 Soft Tame Beautiful Free
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This sand sculptor made new sculptures every day, only to be washed away by the tide.... Here he is, squirting water from a perforated bottle, to keep his work of art firm. A fascinating sight.... I love the art, and his pony tail and tattoes! I wonder if he got paid... he had other sculptures which were not yet quite finished.
Tags: Sand artist Artist Portugal 2010 Sand May 2010 Armacao de Pera Sculpture Sand Sculpture
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