FORTRESSES OF SAINT LUCIA AND OF GRACE

Elvas's fortifications had an exceptional protagonism in the Peninsular Wars, establishing the Duke of Wellington his headquarters in the surroundings of the city. The set of the fortification abaluartada of Elvas, he is undoubtedly one of the mas spectacular and possibly more complete, perfect and better preserved of the peninsula Iberian peninsula. Since it was a custom in this type of constructions, the defense of the city not only was effecting from the fortifications of the same one, but exterior equally strengthened enclosures, they were attacking the assailants from his flanks and even, from his rear. Elvas was possessing two exterior forts: Saint Lucia and Our Lady of Grace (also known as fort of the Count of Lippe). One offers in this page a few images of both, though only the first one of them can be visited at the moment. The two remain perfectly his defensive structures and have a few spectacular sights on the city and the bordering territories.

THE FORTIFICATIONS BASTIONED OF ELVAS EXTERIOR FORTRESSES
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FORTRESSES OF SAINT LUCIA AND OF GRACE Elvas's fortifications had an exceptional protagonism in the Peninsular Wars, establishing the Duke of Wellington his headquarters in the surroundings of the city. The set of the fortification abaluartada of Elvas, he is undoubtedly one of the mas spectacular and possibly more complete, perfect and better preserved of the peninsula Iberian peninsula. Since it was a custom in this type of constructions, the defense of the city not only was effecting from the fortifications of the same one, but exterior equally strengthened enclosures, they were attacking the assailants from his flanks and even, from his rear. Elvas was possessing two exterior forts: Saint Lucia and Our Lady of Grace (also known as fort of the Count of Lippe). One offers in this page a few images of both, though only the first one of them can be visited at the moment. The two remain perfectly his defensive structures and have a few spectacular sights on the city and the bordering territories.
FORTRESSE OF THE SAINT LUZÍA

It was designed by Matías de Alburquerque in 1641 on order of the king Juan IV of Portugal, to defend Elvas for his south side. Along his construction, several military engineers worked, concluding the work in the year 1648, His garrison was composed by 300 men and approximately 40 pieces of artillery of diverse calibre. In October, 1658 it resisted a powerful Spanish assault commanded by Luis de Haro, supervised by 14.000 infantes and 5.000 horses, which it finished with the important Portuguese victory in the battle of The Linhas de Elvas, The exterior ring is formed by a wall abaluartada of starry form, which only door is opened in the northern part, opposite to Elvas's strong square. The exterior enclosure this one formed by four bastions. In the pit there place two powerful revellines that cover the flanks this and south. In the central ring, of square plant, one finds the House of the Governor, to which one accedes across a small drawbridge. A tunnel, which passes underground, he communicates the fort with the interior of the strengthened city.










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FORTRESSE OF OUR LADY OF GRACE OR OF LIPPE
This extraordinary strength of the 18th century, it gets up on the Hill of Our Lady of Grace, placed to the north of Elvas's strong square. In his top there was getting up a small church dedicated to the devotion of the Virgin. In the year 1659 the Spanish army supervised by Luis de Haro surrounded and attacked Elvas, placing in this point two cannons, which day after day bombarded repeatedly the city, causing approximately 300 dead men in every day. The Fort of Our Lady of Grace, called also Loudly of the Count of Lippe (military engineer who designed the work), is considered to be a masterpiece in his kind, being thought in his moment, since impregnable. The fortification forms a set walled of type bastion, enriched with elements Vauban. His construction began in 1763, concluding 30 years later. The work was directed by the Count of Schaumbourg, possessing approximately 6000 workers and 4000 animals of load or shot. His garrison belong 1.200 men, between infantry, artillery and sappers, Desde his bastions and revellines, more than two hundred cannons of diverse calibre, they were defending the fort.




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La obra consta de tres elementos concéntricos. En el centro se encuentra el Reduto, con una puerta fortificada y tres niveles constructivos (iglesia y dependencias, comedor y Casa o Palacio del Gobernador). Bajo este elemento central existe la cisterna principal. Separado del Reduto por un profundo foso, se encuentra la Magistral, construcción en estrella, formada por cuatro baluartes (Badajoz, Elvas, Santo Amaro y Mafla), unidos por sendas cortinas. A continuación, otro foso la separaba de las obras exteriores. Éstas consistían en cuatro Revellines situados frente a cada cortina. El frente norte, de orografía más suave, era defendido por gran hornabeque dotado de dos Barbetes laterales. Cuenta con una única puerta de acceso, conocida como del Dragón. Sobre su dintel dos cañones cruzados, recuerdan las piezas españolas que en 1659 causaron gran mortandad en la ciudad de Elvas. El acceso se abre en una cara del revellín norte que mira hacia Elvas. Tras atravesar el primer foso y salvar un puente levadizo, una nueva y monumental puerta cruza la imponente Magistral, por un túnel fortificado, dotado de rastrillo y múltiples defensas. El fuerte de Nuestra Señora de Gracia, sufrió numerosos ataques y asedios por los ejércitos españoles y franceses y jamás fue tomado por el enemigo. Era la llave de Elvas, y en consecuencia de Portugal, garantizando de esta forma la, integridad e independencia del reino portugués. En la actualidad, se encuentra cerrado al público y su acceso está prohibido, si no se cuenta con permisos especiales que han de solicitarse a las autoridades militares de la ciudad vecina de Estremoz.


FORTRESSE OF SAO PEDRO