João Baptista da Foz Fortress

Porto, Portugal

The Fortress San João Baptista da Foz do Douro was built in the late sixteenth century to better protect the coast and the mouth of the Douro River. The monument is occupied today by the Regional Delegation of the Institute of National Defense. It is a fine example of military architecture. The original basic structure was enhanced with more recent bulwarks. The Lawn Tennis Club da Foz is located at the foot of the Fort.

Visits to the Fort are free on weekdays between 9h and 17h30. There are no official guided tours, but if you are part of a large group, it is advisable to contact the Fort ahead of time to ensure that the visit does not disturb its activities.

Castles and fortifications in Portugal

Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors

Address

Esplanada do Castelo 71, Porto, Portugal

See all sites in Porto

Details

Founded: 1570
Category: Castles and fortifications in Portugal

More Information

www.helloguideoporto.com

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte (51,5 km)
Church of São Miguel do Castelo (46,1 km)
Braga Cathedral (49,1 km)
Nossa Senhora da Oliveira Church (45,7 km)
Palace of the Dukes of Braganza (46 km)
Braga Castle (49,4 km)
Congregados Basilica (49,5 km)
Guimarães Castle (46,2 km)
Dom Diogo de Sousa Regional Museum (48,7 km)

User Reviews

Galina Cuznetov (4 months ago)
There is cat sleeping in front of the fort! Please be kind and give him some food ?

Mike RC (6 months ago)
We didn’t actually visit the Fort, but they have pretty man holes on the street around it.

Ian Wishart (6 months ago)
It might just be the shell of an old fort without a shop, cafe and fancy exhibits;: but it is a great way to see what an old Fort on the Atlantic coast was really like.

Tim Cornish (6 months ago)
Excellent panorama, interesting history

Marko Matić (7 months ago)
Very windy but nice!

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Photo from Flickr, copyright Following Hadrian

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.