Cultural places in Portugal

Fort • Setúbal, Setúbal

Perched on the hill above Setúbal, the Fort of São Filipe watches over both the Sado estuary and the city it was meant to keep under guard for centuries. It was commissioned by Philip I in the aftermath of the crisis of 1580, when the weakness of the town’s defences had become clear and control over Setúbal had gained new political importance. Its six-pointed star plan, fitted to the steep terrain, gives it the stern character of military architecture designed to deter. After the Restoration, the fort took on a different meaning and even served as a prison. Today, beyond the sweeping view over Setúbal, Tróia and the Arrábida hills, one detail deserves special attention: the small Baroque chapel, lined with blue-and-white tiles by Policarpo de Oliveira Bernardes, showing scenes from the life of Saint Philip. Few places reveal so clearly how war, power and landscape meet in a single setting.