Located on the Cape of Sagres, the Promontorium Sacrum famous for its unparalleled beauty, Sagres Fortress owes its origins to Prince Henry the Navigator who created the town and died here in 1460.
There is little left of the walls that the father of the Discoveries ordered to be built, as the fortress was rebuilt in the 16th century and during the second half of the 18th century, at which time it was altered to the "Vauban" defensive system. The entrance to this bastioned fortress is a good example of neoclassical architecture. On the inside can be seen cannons, a 16th century tower and also the Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça (Our Lady of Grace), built in the 16th century on the exact spot where previously the Church of Santa Maria had stood, which was founded by Prince Henry but was destroyed by the English privateer Francis Drake in 1587.
One of the most important attractions of Sagres Fortress is without doubt the "rosa-dos-ventos" (the wind rose), a sundial which many think dates from the time of Prince Henry and the nautical school he founded in Sagres.
A place of great historical and symbolic value, this monument offers visitors an opportunity to revisit the glorious period of the maritime Discoveries and to enjoy one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.
