Fort of Feira: A Defensive Stronghold in Portugal’s Lines of Torres Vedras

Site at a Glance

Rating: 4.3
Popularity: Very Low
Country: Portugal
Primary era: Early Modern
External website: Open

Eras represented: Early Modern
Civilizations: British, Portuguese
Site type: Military
Remains: Fort

On this page5 sections

History

Construction during the Peninsular War

Fort of Feira, also known as the Fort of Malveira, is a military stronghold in Portugal built in 1809–1810 under the direction of the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley. It formed part of the second line of the Lines of Torres Vedras, a system of three defensive lines constructed north of Lisbon during the Peninsular War, the 1807–1814 conflict in which Portugal and Spain, supported by Britain, resisted French invasion and occupation.

The fort arose after the first stages of the conflict had exposed Portugal to repeated attack. The secret Treaty of Fontainebleau provided for the invasion and division of Portuguese territory, and French troops commanded by General Junot entered Portugal in 1807. The Portuguese royal family departed for Brazil. Portuguese and British forces defeated the French at Roliça and Vimeiro in 1808, after which the Convention of Cintra led to the evacuation of the French army. A second French invasion, led by Marshal Soult, retreated in 1809.

During the third invasion, Marshal André Masséna advanced to the Lines of Torres Vedras, but his army could not break through the defenses. After remaining before the lines for five months, the French forces were compelled to retreat. Fort of Feira occupied a central position among 19 strongholds in the second line, and its placement enabled it to exchange crossfire with three other forts.

Deactivation and restoration

The name “Feira,” meaning “Fair,” came from a cattle market held beside the fort’s site. The fort was deactivated in 1818, when its artillery was removed. Initial restoration began in the early 2000s, and the site opened to the public in 2002. It closed in 2010–2011 for archaeological investigation and reopened in July 2011. The fort is preserved, and the investigations revealed internal structures including its magazine.

Remains

Fortifications and internal structures

Fort of Feira stands at an altitude of 226 metres above Malveira, in the municipality of Mafra in Portugal’s Lisbon District. Its plan forms a seven-pointed star. A moat excavated into the rock surrounds the fort, with palisades lining the defensive ditch. The planned garrison numbered 350 soldiers, while the armament was intended to comprise four cannon.

Archaeological work carried out during the 2010–2011 closure exposed parts of the interior, including the magazine, a structure used to store gunpowder and ammunition. These investigations added evidence for how the defensive installation was organized within its star-shaped enclosure. Restoration has preserved the fort as a physical component of the Lines of Torres Vedras.