Fort of Leça da Palmeira
| Fort of Leça da Palmeira | |
|---|---|
Forte de Leça da Palmeira | |
| Porto, Greater Porto, Norte in Portugal | |
The tiered battlements of the Forte de Leça de Palmeira | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Fort |
| Owner | Portuguese Republic |
| Operator | Captaincy of the Port of Leixões; Ministério da Defesa Nacional/Marinha |
| Open to the public | Public |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 41°11′15.40″N 8°42′8.19″W / 41.1876111°N 8.7022750°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | c. 1720 |
| Built by | António Vieira |
| Architect | João Turriano |
| In use | c. 1701 - c. 1844 |
| Materials | Granite, Masonry, Wood, Tile |
The Fort of Leça da Palmeira (Portuguese: Forte de Leça da Palmeira), also known as Castle of Matosinhos (Portuguese: Castelo de Matosinhos) or Fort of Our Lady of the Snows (Portuguese: Forte de Nossa Senhora das Neves) is a coastal fortification located in Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos in the Greater Porto region of Portugal. Built between 1652 and 1720 to replace an earlier fortification, it formed part of the defensive system at the mouth of the Douro River. Since the 1844, the fort has served administrative and maritime functions and it now hosts Captaincy of the Port of Leixões and the local maritime police command.