Northern Portugal. A Portuguese island on the border with Spain

We barely made it to the campground that evening, and then we headed to the beach, despite it being July, there was a chill in the air... The sun was slowly setting behind the horizon, and we found ourselves staring at what appeared to be rocks protruding above the waterline...

It wasn't until the drone flight that doubts were dispelled - On a patch of land between Portugal and Spain is a fortress - Forte da Ínsua.

This small island, located on the picturesque island of Ínsua de Santo Isidro near Caminha, in the Viana do Castelo district of Portugal, just two hundred meters offshore, has historically served as a defense against pirates and a religious retreat.

Initially, the island served as a place of worship, and over time it evolved into a hermitage with a simple structure, founded by the Franciscans of Galicia in 1392. Construction of the defensive fortress began in 1649-1652, with numerous repairs and upgrades in the 18th century, including the renovation of the church nave and the addition of new cells. By 1834, the fortress had lost its original, including sacred, character, becoming solely a defensive position.

Obecnie forteca nie służy już celom militarnym czy obronnym. Od 1910 roku miejsce uznane jest za Monumento Nacional, przetrwało próby czasu, choć stan konserwacji budzi obawy… Dzięki programowi “Revive”, który promuje inwestowanie prywatnych środków w ochronę dziedzictwa narodowego, zyskuje możliwość nowego życia. Projekt zakłada rozwój turystyczny wyspy, co na pewno będzie miało wpływ na rozwój turystyczny tego regionu Portugalii.

PS The object can be visited, in the nearby port ask about the possibility of crossing 😉.