List of Portuguese colonial forts
A map of the Portuguese Empire and its claims, strongholds, trade waters, and economic interests.
This article will list all fortifications that were built, or ordered to be built by the Portuguese throughout the globe. All forts in this list are outside the modern territory of Portugal, and were built for the purpose of colonialism and the Portuguese Overseas Empire.
Portuguese explorers have discovered many lands and the sea routes in the 15th-18th centuries during the Age of Discovery. Along the way they built outposts and fortresses, many of which still exist today all over the world. Similar in design they are often easy to recognize although not in Portuguese hands for many years or centuries already.
List of forts by continent[]
Africa[]
| Name | Built | Condition | Image | City | Current country | Historical rulers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cacheu Fort | 1588 | Intact | 
|
Cacheu |  Guinea-Bissau
|
Portugal (1588-1974) |
| Castelo Real | 1506 | Demolished | 
|
Essaouira |  Morocco
|
Portugal (1506-1510) |
| Elmina Castle | 1482 | Intact | 
|
Elmina |  Ghana
|
Portugal (1482-1637) Netherlands (1637-1872) Britain (1872-1957) |
| Fort Jesus | 1593-1596 | Intact | 
|
Mombasa |  Kenya
|
Portugal (1593-1698, 1728-1729) Oman (1698-1741, 1837-1895) Local rule (1741-1837) Britain (1895-1963) |
| Fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá | 1721 | Intact | 
|
Ouidah |  Benin
|
Portugal (1721-1961) |
| Forte Real de São Filipe | 1587-1593 | Intact | 
|
Cidade Velha |  Cape Verde
|
Portugal (1587-1975) |
| Fort Saint Anthony | 1515 | Intact | 
|
Axim | Ghana
|
Portugal (1515-1642) Netherlands (1642-1872) Britain (1872-1957) |
| Fort San Sebastian | 1520-1526 | Intact | 
|
Shama | Ghana
|
Portugal (1520-1642) Netherlands (1642-1872) Britain (1872-1957) |
| Fort São Caetano | 1505 | Decimated | 
|
Sofala |  Mozambique
|
Portugal (1505-1975) |
| Fort São Sebastião | 1558 | Intact | 
|
Island of Mozambique | Mozambique
|
Portugal (1558-1975) |
| Fort São Sebastião | 1575 | Intact | 
|
São Tomé |  São Tomé and Príncipe
|
Portugal (1575-1641, 1644-1975) Netherlands (1641-1644) |
| Fortaleza de São José da Amura | 1697 | Restored | Bissau | Guinea-Bissau
|
Portugal (1697-1974) | |
| Forte Duque de Bragança | 1820 | Ruins | Ilhéu de Sal Rei | Cape Verde
|
Portugal (1820-1975) | |
| 1695 | Intact | 
|
Island of São Lourenço | Mozambique
|
Portugal (1695-1975) | |
| Fortress of Kambambe | 1604 | Ruins | Cambambe |  Angola
|
Portugal (1604-1975) | |
| Fortress of Muxima | 1599 | Intact | Muxima | Angola
|
Portugal (1599-1641, 1648-1975) Netherlands (1641-1648) | |
| Fortress of São Miguel | 1576 | Intact | 
|
Luanda | Angola
|
Portugal (1576-1641, 1648-1975) Netherlands (1641-1648) |
| Mazagão Fort | 1514 | Intact | 
|
El Jadida | Morocco
|
Portugal (1514-1769) Morocco (1769-1912) France (1912-1956) |
| Royal Walls of Ceuta | 1540s | Intact | 
|
Ceuta |  Spain
|
Portugal (1415-1668) |
Americas[]
| Name | Built | Condition | Image | City | Current country | Historical rulers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Santana | 1775 | Ruins | 
|
Fernando de Noronha |  Brazil
|
Portugal (1775-1822) |
| Fort of Santo Antônio do Gurupá | 1601-1619 | Restored | 
|
Gurupá | Brazil
|
Netherlands (1601-1623) Portugal (1623-1822) |
| Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Assunção | 1812 | Intact | 
|
Fortaleza | Brazil
|
Portugal (1812-1822) |
| Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição | 1718 | Intact | 
|
Rio de Janeiro | Brazil
|
Portugal (1718-1822) |
| Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres | 1767-1769 | Intact | 
|
Paranaguá | Brazil
|
Portugal (1767-1822) |
| Fortaleza de Santa Cruz da Barra | 1612 | Intact | 
|
Niterói | Brazil
|
Portugal (1612-1822) |
| Fortaleza de Santa Cruz de Anhatomirim | 1739-1744 | Intact | 
|
Governador Celso Ramos | Brazil
|
|
| Fortaleza de Santa Teresa | 1762 | Intact | 
|
Santa Teresa National Park |  Uruguay
|
Portugal (1762-1763) Spain (1763-1816) Portugal (1816-1822) Brazil (1822-1828) |
| Forte de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios | 1737 | Ruins | 
|
Fernando de Noronha | Brazil
|
Portugal (1737-1822) |
| Forte de Santa Maria | 1614 | Intact | 
|
Salvador | Brazil
|
Portugal (1614-1822) Netherlands (1624-1625) |
| Forte de Santo Antônio Além do Carmo | 1695-1703 | Intact | 
|
Salvador | Brazil
|
Portugal (1695-1822) |
| Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra | 1596 | Restored | 
|
Salvador | Brazil
|
Portugal (1596-1822) Netherlands (1624-1625) |
| Forte de São Diogo | 1609 | Intact | 
|
Salvador | Brazil
|
Portugal (1609-1822) Netherlands (1624-1625) |
| Forte de São Lourenço | 1631 | Restored | 
|
Itaparica | Brazil
|
Portugal (1631-1822) Netherlands (1647) |
| Forte dos Reis Magos | 1599 | Intact | 
|
Natal | Brazil
|
Portugal (1599-1633, 1654-1822) Netherlands (1633-1654) |
| Fuerte San Miguel | 1737 | Intact | 
|
Dieciocho de Julio | Uruguay
|
Portugal (1737-1763) Spain (1763-1816) Portugal (1816-1822) Brazil (1822-1828) |
| São Marcelo Fort | 1608-1623 | Intact | 
|
Salvador | Brazil
|
Portugal (1608-1822) Netherlands (1624-1625) |
Asia and Oceania[]
| Name | Built | Condition | Image | City | Current country | Historical rulers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Famosa | 1511 | Fragments | 
|
Malacca |  Malaysia
|
Portugal (1511-1641) Netherlands (1641-1795, 1818-1824) Britain (1795-1818, 1824-1956) Japan (1942-1945) |
| Al Jalali Fort | 1586 | Restored | 
|
Muscat |  Oman
|
Portugal (1586-1650) Muscat (1650-1820) Muscat & Oman (1820-1892) Britain (1892-1970) |
| Arippu Fort | 17th century | Ruins | Mannar |  Sri Lanka
|
Portugal (17th century-1658) Netherlands (1658-1796) Britain (1796-1948) | |
| Balibo Fort | 1645-1665 | Intact | 
|
Balibo |  East Timor
|
Portugal (1645-1975) Indonesia (1975-1999) UNTAET (1999-2002) |
| Batticaloa Fort | 1622-1628 | Intact | 
|
Batticaloa | Sri Lanka
|
Portugal (1622-1638) Netherlands (1638-1796) Britain (1796-1948) |
| Castella de Aguada | 1640 | Intact | 
|
Mumbai |  India
|
Portugal (1640-1661) Britain (1661-1947) |
| Chapora Fort | 1717 | Ruins | 
|
Chapora | India
|
Portugal (1717-1961) |
| Cranganore Fort | 1523 | Ruins | 
|
Kodungallur | India
|
Portugal (1523-1662) Netherlands (1662-1796) Britain (1796-1947) |
| Dongri Fort[1] | 1596 | Ruins (Church preserved) | Mumbai | India
|
Portugal (1596-1661) Britain (1661-1947) | |
| Fort Aguada | 1612 | Intact | 
|
Sinquerim | India
|
Portugal (1612-1961) |
| Fort Al-Mirani | 16th century | Restored | 
|
Muscat | Oman
|
Portugal (16th century-1650) Ottoman Empire (1552, 1581-1588) Muscat (1650-1820) Muscat & Oman (1820-1892) Britain (1892-1970) |
| Fort Anjediva | 1505 | Demolished | 
|
Anjediva Island | India
|
Portugal (1505-1961) |
| Fort Diu | 1535 | Intact | 
|
Diu | India
|
Portugal (1535-1961) |
| Fort Emmanuel | 1503 | Ruins | 
|
Kochi | India
|
Portugal (1503-1663) Netherlands (1663-1795) Britain (1795-1947) |
| Fort Kastela | 1522 | Ruins | 
|
Ternate |  Indonesia
|
Portugal (1522-1575) Ternate (1575-1606) Spain (1606-1663) Netherlands (1663-1942, 1945-1946) Japan (1942-1945) East Indonesia (1946-1950) |
| Fort of Our Lady of the Conception | 1515 | Fragments | 
|
Hormuz |  Iran
|
|
| Fort St. Anthony of Simbor | 1722 | Restored | Simbor | India
|
Portugal (1722-1961) | |
| Fort Tarout | 1515-1520 | Intact | 
|
Tarout Island |  Saudi Arabia
|
Portugal (1515-1559) |
| Fortaleza do Monte | 1617-1626 | Intact | 
|
Macau |  China
|
Portugal (1617-1999) |
| Galle Fort | 1584 | Intact | 
|
Galle | Sri Lanka
|
|
| Ghodbunder Fort | 1550-1730 | Ruins | 
|
Thane | India
|
Portugal (1550-1737) Maratha (1737-1818) Britain (1818-1947) |
| Guia Fortress | 1622-1638 | Intact | 
|
Macau | China
|
Portugal (1622-1999) |
| Khasab Fort | 17th century | Restored | 
|
Khasab | Oman
|
|
| Korlai Fort | 1521 | Ruins | 
|
Korlai | India
|
Ahmadnagar (1521-1594) Portugal (1594-1739) Maratha (1739-1818) Britain (1818-1947) |
| Madh Fort [1] | 17th century | Intact | 
|
Mumbai | India
|
Portugal (17th century) Britain (1661-1947) |
| Malé Fort [2] | 17th century | Demolished | 
|
Maldives |  Maldives
|
Portugal (1558-1650) Netherlands (1650-1796) Britain (1796-1953) |
| Mormugão fort | 1624 | Ruins | Mormugao | India
|
Portugal (1624-1961) | |
| Mutrah Fort | 1580s | Intact | 
|
Muscat | Oman
|
Portugal (1580s-1650) Muscat (1650-1820) Muscat & Oman (1820-1892) Britain (1892-1970) |
| Pallipuram Fort | 1503 | Intact | 
|
Kochi | India
|
Portugal (1503-1663) Netherlands (1663-1795) Britain (1795-1947) |
| Pooneryn Fort | 17th century | Ruins | 
|
Pooneryn | Sri Lanka
|
Portugal (17th century-1658) Netherlands (1658-1796) Britain (1796-1948) |
| Portuguese Fort | 17th century | Intact | 
|
Jepara Regency | Indonesia
|
Mataram (17th century-1743) Netherlands (1743-1811, 1814-1942) Britain (1811-1814) Japan (1942-1945) |
| Portuguese Fort of Qeshm | 16th century | Ruins | 
|
Qeshm | Iran
|
|
| Reduto do Conselheiro Jacinto Candido | 1655 | Intact | 
|
Batugade | East Timor
|
Portugal (1655-1975) Indonesia (1975-1999) UNTAET (1999-2002) |
| Revdanda Fort | 1524 | Ruins | 
|
Revdanda | India
|
Portugal (1524-1806) Maratha (1806-1818) Britain (1818-1947) |
| St. Angelo Fort | 1505 | Intact | 
|
Kannur | India
|
|
| St. Thomas Fort | 1518 | Ruins | 
|
Kollam | India
|
Portugal (1518-1661) Netherlands (1661-1795) Britain (1795-1947) |
See also[]
- Architecture of Portugal
References[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Portuguese forts. |
- ^ Burnell, John (2007). Bombay in the Days of Queen Anne - Being an Account of the Settlement Also: Burnell's Narrative of his Adventures in Bengal. Read Books. ISBN 9781406755473. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
Notes
 Forts and fortresses of the Portuguese Empire | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa |
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| America |
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| Asia |
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Name in italics and geographical location (between parenthesis). Important fortifications in bold. | |||||||||||||||||||
Categories:
- Portuguese forts
- Portuguese Colonial architecture