Forte de São Sebastião

I had been struggling to identify a topic for this month’s #PastmeetsPresent challenge when I spotted this picture in Len Port’s book ‘Get to Know the Algarve’, and thought ‘ooh I have one exactly like that’!

Len port Algarve
Len Port’s photograph

Len’s book was first published in 1993 and so his picture isn’t one of my older past photographs but even so there has been a few changes over the past 30/40 years. Here’s mine, can you spot the differences?!

Sao Sebastiao fort, Castro Marim
Almost the same angle

The pictures are of Forte de São Sebastião one of the three fortresses still visible in Castro Marim. This fort was commissioned during the War of Restoration in 1641 by King João IV to help keep the Spanish, just across the river, out of Portugal.

We’ve yet to get inside Forte de São Sebastião hence only external views, but I am hoping that during our next winter sojourn one of our visits to Castro Marim will coincide with the castle being open! I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime if you have a then and now picture why not join in with my #PastmeetsPresent monthly photo challenge. You will find more information here, but please note that if you are reading this after 1st January 2018 the challenge is moving to my other blog. It’s just so I can also share non Portuguese #pastmeetspresent posts!

Taken from the 3rd fortress
View of the fort from the 3rd fortress – Ravelein de Santo António

 

Author: BeckyB

It had been a good life walking, cooking, photographing, volunteering, blogging, and best of all spending time with MrB, family, & friends. Sadly it is no longer what it was, as suddenly and unexpectedly I became a widow.

16 thoughts

    1. It is quite remarkable from outside, yet to discover that it is like inside though.
      Do you recall where you went?

  2. You put me to shame with your industry! Not only do I owe you a couple of Pasts but now I need to post skies too. I may have to retire to bed with a headache. 🙂 🙂

  3. I love this sort of thing, comparing old and new, I have got a lot of pictures of the Algarve from my first visit there in 1986 but I haven’t been back since 1994.

        2. What was so marvellous was that this was traditional cottage industry and entire families were on the beach helping with the chores!
          I am fairly sure that the first two are Armacao de Pera and I am absolutely certain that the final picture is Carvoeiro and I am told that this is now much changed!

        5. Definitely Carvoeira, Andrew. The surrounds are much built up but off season the area is still lovely. I can’t say the same for Amacao de Pera! Though we did find a cafe that we liked. 🙂 🙂 And no, I’ve not been quite everywhere yet. Working on it. 🙂

  4. We visited during the early evening during the medieval fair; They were holding various displays there with sword fighting etc. with re-ennctment groups.

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