Ponta da Bandeira Fort

Why go

The Ponta da Bandeira Fort stands at the harbour of Lagos and is one of the museum sites (núcleos) of the Museu de Lagos, run by the Municipality of Lagos. The museum says it was built between 1680 and 1690 to defend the access to the quay and the south-east and east flanks of the city wall, crossing fire with the bastions of the Porta da Vila and the Castelo dos Governadores. It describes a square plan with low volumes and thick seaward walls designed for artillery, a moat crossed by a drawbridge, cylindrical sentry boxes added in restoration work around 1960, and a small 17th-century chapel lined with azulejos inside. The fort is also known as the Fort of Nossa Senhora da Penha de França, Forte do Pau da Bandeira or Forte do Registo. When read on 9 October 2026, the Museu de Lagos's fort and visit pages listed it as temporarily closed, so check the museum's site before going.