Fort São Francisco de Lovelhe

Fort São Francisco de Lovelhe, locally known as Fort São Francisco de Lovelhe or simply Forte de Lovelhe, lies north of the town of Vila Nova de Cerveira in the Alto Minho region in Portugal.

Construction of the fort began in 1642 under the command of General D. Francisco de Azevedo during the Portuguese Restoration War, on a hill overlooking a ford on the Minho River, which formed the border with Spain. The works were completed in 1663. Together with the nearby watchtower, Atalaia de Lovelhe, and the Vila Nova de Cerveira Castle, it was part of the defensive line on the left bank of the Minho River.

Despite being considered more strategic than the castle, Fort Lovelhe was only active, armed, and garrisoned during periods of conflict and would be semi-abandoned in the intermittent periods. So, after decades of inactivity, it was reactivated during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), but saw no action. In the following decades, it was abandoned and fell partially into ruin. Around 1775, it was repaired and garrisoned by 12 soldiers with 7 artillery pieces. The fort was again abandoned in 1792, only to be reconstructed again in 1797. 

In 1809, during the Second French Invasion of Portugal, Fort São Francisco de Lovelhe saw action: despite being poorly armed, it valiantly repelled several French attempts to cross the river, but was finally taken and subsequently partially destroyed by the French forces in retaliation. After this, it was never rebuilt. Its remaining structures saw various uses in the following centuries, including as veterans' barracks, a lazaretto, or leased to locals or quarried by them. It was finally decommissioned in 1938.

The fort is laid out on an elongated pentagonal plan with 5 bastions crowned with round sentry boxes. The walls are low but thick, built on an earth-filled base, with a surrounding dry moat and counterscarp. Internally, there once was a chapel (probably dedicated to São Francisco), barracks, a powder magazine, and a cistern, all now gone. 

Today, Fort São Francisco de Lovelhe is freely accessible. There may not be much to see inside, but I enjoyed the views. Be aware of snakes, though. I saw several shed snake skins lying around.

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