Forte da Graça

The Forte da Graça, also known as the Fort of Our Lady of Graça, stands on a hill above Elvas, one of the greatest fortresses built in Portugal. Its walls, moats and bastions make it a masterpiece of eighteenth-century military engineering, and it forms part of the fortifications of Elvas listed by UNESCO.

A fortress of the Enlightenment

The fort was built between 1763 and 1792, under the direction of the Count of Lippe, a German officer who reorganised the Portuguese army. Designed to defend the border with Spain, it was never taken in battle, and its walls, barracks, chapel and underground passages survive almost intact.

What to see

• The bastions, moats and walls, with their original stonework.
• The barracks, chapel and command buildings inside the fort.
• Views over Elvas, its aqueduct and the Alentejo plain.
• The wider fortified town, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

Visiting the fort

The fort is on a hill above Elvas. Opening hours are published by the municipality, so check the official website before your visit.

Visitor information: cm-elvas.pt.

Image credit: Forte da Graça, Elvas, by Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.