“We are willing to take over the management of the monument, which is the ‘ex-libris’ of a county that is visited by thousands of tourists, to stop the degradation and abandonment that it has plunged into,” said Portimão Mayor Isilda Gomes.
Built in 1621 on the order of D. João de Castro, then governor of the Algarve Kingdom, the Santa Catarina Fortress was built on the banks of the Arade River to protect the city of Silves and then town of Portimão.
During the 20th century it housed the Portimão port, fiscal and captaincy facilities.
According to Mayor Gomes, the renovation of the property, whose management is currently the responsibility of the Sines and Algarve Port Administration “is being discussed with the government with a view to finding the best solution for the future of the monument, which is State property.”
Isilda Gomes said investment to renew the old military structure would be “very hefty” and the council would not be able to foot it alone.
“The National Laboratory for Civil Engineering has mapped out the state of the fortress, and in fact a very large intervention is necessary, which would cost a lot of money”, she stressed, adding that “talks are ongoing with the government to find a way to guarantee investment, whether that is from the central State or EC funds.”
In Mayor Gomes’ view, as well as its strategic positioning being a bonus to Praia da Rocha as a tourist destination, “it is a symbol of the Portuguese discoveries, of departures and arrivals of generations who passed through, whose experiences should be preserved.”
“It is part of our history and of our culture. As Portimão is a maritime municipality, geared towards the sea, we need to preserve that memory.”
She believes the fortress could be reinvented as a museum dedicated to the sea, housing restaurants to boost the space, which currently only serves as a viewing point visited every year by thousands of people.
“We want enjoyment of this space to be available to our tourists as well as to the population of Portimão”, she added,