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The Fort of São João das Maias, also referred to as Fort of Oeiras or Fort of Maias, is located on the right bank of the Tagus Estuary, at the eastern end of the cove of Praia de Santo Amaro, in the village of Oeiras, parish of Oeiras and São Julião da Barra, Paço de Arcos and Caxias, on the Lisbon Coast.

It was built in the context of the War of Restoration of Portuguese independence, part of the 1st line of fortifications (maritime and river) of the Tagus bar erected at the time, which extended from Cabo da Roca to the Tower of Belém, to defend the city of Lisbon.

History

It was built by order of the War Council of King João IV (1640-1656), under the supervision of King António Luís de Meneses (1596-1675), 3rd Count of Cantanhede, as Governor of Arms of Praça de Cascais. It supported the defense provided by the Fort of São Julião da Barra, to which it was subordinate.

With a design possibly by Cosmander, the works were in charge of Captain Álvaro de Souza, having been developed from 1644 to 1653, when he was garrisoned by twenty soldiers, ten artillerymen and a constable, and artilleryed with five pieces.

At the dawn of the 18th century, it was governed by D. Cristóvão Manuel, 2nd count of Vila Flor, appointed in 1701 and died in 1704. In 1728, the fort was governed by Captain Manuel de Brito Freire, until his death, and, in 1730, by the sergeant-major José da Cruz da Silva, due to the death of his predecessor. A little later, in 1735, it was in good condition, but its artillery was reduced to two mounted 24 caliber bronze pieces, and twelve more, of different calibers, out of service. In the middle of the century, in need of repairs, its works were budgeted at 1,200$000 réis (1751). The first use of tiles in the Chapel's premises is from this period, on the initiative of its governor, Roque Martins Ribeiro (1754), which, however, would be severely damaged during the 1755 earthquake. Repaired, the Chapel was reopened for worship, by the same governor , in 1759.

A decade later, works were carried out to expand the structure, starting the so-called New Battery, outside the fortified enclosure. This battery was still without its artillery on August 18, 1769. Repair work continued in 1793, when the battery was rebuilt.

At the beginning of the 19th century, after the Guerra das Laranjas, the fort was armed with twenty-four pieces of different calibers, distributed twelve in the New Battery, eight in the Old Battery and four more in the Elevated Battery (on the terrace of the Casa- strong). In 1809, it was part of the defense formed by the Lines of Torres. Later, at the time of the Liberal Wars, it was under the government of Lieutenant-Colonel João da Guarda Cabreira (appointed on November 9, 1831), and was artillery by fourteen pieces of different calibers (1833). Years later, its artillery amounted to seventeen pieces in service (1837). In the middle of the 19th century, it underwent rebuilding works (1853), with Major Inácio José Perdigão being governor of the fort and General Baron da Batalha being governor of Fort São Julião da Barra, according to an epigraphic plaque.

In the mid-twentieth century, some land belonging to the surroundings of the fort were ceded to the Autonomous Board of Roads (January 13, 1940), with a view to opening Av. Marginal. The fort's premises housed the Children's Bathing Colony of the Lisbon Naval Brigade (1963). After the Carnation Revolution, the building was formally transferred to the Social Services of the Armed Forces to serve as a holiday colony (1976).

Characteristics

A small maritime fortification with a bulwark layout, in the Mannerist style. Built in masonry, it has an irregular pentagonal plan, with merlons and watchtowers with a cylindrical body covered by domes.

Over the main gate in perfect arch, in stonework, an epigraphic tombstone surmounted by the royal coat of arms informs Alvaro de Sousa made it in 1644. distribute service dependencies. In the vestibule, the paneling of monochrome tiles stands out and, at the end of the corridor, in the Chapel, covered by a barrel vault, the ashlar of monochrome tiles from the mid-18th century, representing Santa Rosália and São Roque.