It is located in the municipality of Peniche, district of Leiria, Central Portugal
The Peniche Fortress was built on the site of the old Atouguia da Baleia Castle, its construction began in 1557 and 1558 but with numerous subsequent modifications.
Its defensive walls surround an area of two hectares divided into upper and lower parts.
The fortress performed several functions, including that of a political prison during the authoritarian regime of the Estado Novo.
In the Middle Ages Peniche was an island but eventually the sea was replaced by sand dunes and Peniche became a peninsula.
At the end of the 15th century and beginning of the 16th century, the area was the target of attacks by English, French and barbarian pirates, to which King Manuel I initially responded by installing four armed ships in Peniche.
D. Sebastião I ascended the throne in 1568 and appointed D. Luís de Ataíde, 3rd Count of Atouguia, to the position of Viceroy of India (1568-1571).
The great earthquake of 1755 that hit much of Portugal destroyed part of the fortress which was later recovered.
In 1773, renovation work was carried out on the Santa Bárbara chapel inside the fortress and the fortress became famous for two escapes of prisoners who opposed the authoritarian government.
In 1960, communist leaders Álvaro Cunhal, Francisco Martins Rodrigues and eight others colluded with a member of the National Republican Guard who agreed to immobilize a colleague responsible for the surveillance of prisoners with chloroform.
The escape became a major embarrassment for the government, which claimed that a Soviet submarine had been near the coast of Peniche waiting to pick up the fugitives.
In the Carnation Revolution on April 25, 1974, which led to the overthrow of the Estado Novo, the fortress was one of the main targets of the initial coup.
The Peniche Fort Square is made up of a series of defensive buildings with a rampart structure with a plan in the shape of an irregular starry polygon adapted to the terrain and the walled perimeter covers an area of around two hectares.
Entry to this space is from south to north, through four doors: the "Porta das Cabanas", the "Porta Nova", the "Porta da Ponte" and the "Porta de Peniche de Cima".
The entire fortification was divided into two large sectors: to the north, in Peniche de Cima, the "Forte da Luz" dominated, today in ruins, protected by high cliffs.
From there until Porta de Peniche de Cima, the Stronghold is made up of a high and extensive wall surrounded by a moat naturally flooded by sea water (full at high tide) up to Porta das Cabanas, which corresponds to the old fishing port of Portinho de Revez.
The Citadel of Peniche with bastions at the apexes crowned by circular guardhouses armed with gunboats on the embankment pointing towards the sea, on the land side to protect the monumental entrance gate a triangular ravelin was built.
To the south, in Peniche de Baixo, in front of the town, the citadel dominates, in the so-called "Campo da Torre".
Following the ravelin, the citadel is protected by a walled moat above sea level that follows the polygonal layout of its imposing walls, making it invulnerable.
The fort initially included the so-called Round Baluarte (the first fortification built), the Watch Tower and the Chapel of Santa Bárbara.
This set included the famous prisons later built around a watchtower, the highest construction of the fort as a strategic observation point that then served to guard against any unwanted intentions.
Its defensive walls surround an area of two hectares divided into upper and lower parts.
The fortress performed several functions, including that of a political prison during the authoritarian regime of the Estado Novo.
In the Middle Ages Peniche was an island but eventually the sea was replaced by sand dunes and Peniche became a peninsula.
At the end of the 15th century and beginning of the 16th century, the area was the target of attacks by English, French and barbarian pirates, to which King Manuel I initially responded by installing four armed ships in Peniche.
D. Sebastião I ascended the throne in 1568 and appointed D. Luís de Ataíde, 3rd Count of Atouguia, to the position of Viceroy of India (1568-1571).
The great earthquake of 1755 that hit much of Portugal destroyed part of the fortress which was later recovered.
In 1773, renovation work was carried out on the Santa Bárbara chapel inside the fortress and the fortress became famous for two escapes of prisoners who opposed the authoritarian government.
In 1960, communist leaders Álvaro Cunhal, Francisco Martins Rodrigues and eight others colluded with a member of the National Republican Guard who agreed to immobilize a colleague responsible for the surveillance of prisoners with chloroform.
The escape became a major embarrassment for the government, which claimed that a Soviet submarine had been near the coast of Peniche waiting to pick up the fugitives.
In the Carnation Revolution on April 25, 1974, which led to the overthrow of the Estado Novo, the fortress was one of the main targets of the initial coup.
The Peniche Fort Square is made up of a series of defensive buildings with a rampart structure with a plan in the shape of an irregular starry polygon adapted to the terrain and the walled perimeter covers an area of around two hectares.
Entry to this space is from south to north, through four doors: the "Porta das Cabanas", the "Porta Nova", the "Porta da Ponte" and the "Porta de Peniche de Cima".
The entire fortification was divided into two large sectors: to the north, in Peniche de Cima, the "Forte da Luz" dominated, today in ruins, protected by high cliffs.
From there until Porta de Peniche de Cima, the Stronghold is made up of a high and extensive wall surrounded by a moat naturally flooded by sea water (full at high tide) up to Porta das Cabanas, which corresponds to the old fishing port of Portinho de Revez.
The Citadel of Peniche with bastions at the apexes crowned by circular guardhouses armed with gunboats on the embankment pointing towards the sea, on the land side to protect the monumental entrance gate a triangular ravelin was built.
To the south, in Peniche de Baixo, in front of the town, the citadel dominates, in the so-called "Campo da Torre".
Following the ravelin, the citadel is protected by a walled moat above sea level that follows the polygonal layout of its imposing walls, making it invulnerable.
The fort initially included the so-called Round Baluarte (the first fortification built), the Watch Tower and the Chapel of Santa Bárbara.
This set included the famous prisons later built around a watchtower, the highest construction of the fort as a strategic observation point that then served to guard against any unwanted intentions.
