Fort of Our Lady of the Incarnation

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The Fort of Our Lady of the Incarnation is a small fortification in the civil parish of Carvoeiro, municipality of Lagoa, in Portuguese Algarve.HistoryIn 1670, construction began on the fortress of Carvoeiro under the orders of the Algarvean Governor Nuno de Mendoça, Count of Vale dos Reis. It was completed during the tenure of his successor, the Count of Pontevel, Nuno da Cunha de Ataíde, in 1675.The fortress was significantly damaged during the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, while the chapel was completely ruined: the image of the patron saint was the only salvageable artifact. The writings of Father Ignácio de Sousa Oliveira suggest that the chapel was "very old", indicating that its cupola was crowned by a high octagonal obelisk of stone and masonry, serving as a guide for navigation. Under Commadant António Silvestre C. Tavares Júdice the reconstruction of the fort began in 1796.An 1821 report from first-lieutenant of the Army Corp of Engineers, Gregório António, suggested that the fort continued to be in a considerable state of damage, with only one 18-calibre canon onsite. Even this military piece was dismembered and nonoperational. This report resulted in the 1825 repairs to the fort and chapel. Though the 18-calibre munition was still at the fort in 1832, the fort was little used: in 1840, it was finally removed and the both fortress and chapel were considered in a state of ruin.After being deactivated in 1861, the site was adapted as a post of the Guarda Fiscal, in 1871.

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