The Forte de São Roque, or São José, but known locally as the Forte de Meia Praia in Lagos has at last been listed as a monument of public interest.
The new decree was signed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Jorge Barreto Xavier, which distinguishes the Forte de São Roque was published today in the official gazette.
The Forte de São Roque lies strategically in the centre of the beach defining the bay of Lagos and was one of the coastal defences. This 840m2 fort was built between1671-1675 in the face of constant attack from pirates in their swift corsairs keen to plunder and take locals away to be sold as slaves.