Fortaleza de Sagres

About the museum

The Fortaleza de Sagres stands on a rocky promontory at the south-western tip of Europe, known in antiquity as Promontorium Sacrum and a place of worship for navigators. For centuries it was the main point of defence of a maritime defensive system. In 1443 Infante D. Henrique obtained permission from the regent, D. Pedro, to found the Vila do Infante on the promontory, where he would die on 13 November 1460. In 1587 Francis Drake attacked and occupied the fortified town.

Few traces of the 15th-century town remain, such as sections of a serrated wall, a cistern tower and the “rosa dos ventos” (compass rose), a structure discovered by chance in 1921. Most of the existing buildings date from the 16th century or later, among them the Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça, the bastioned wall, remodelled at the end of the 18th century, and the former governor's house. In the nineties an architectural intervention created, in the Correnteza, a central area for exhibitions and visitor services.

The exhibition centre, opened on 13 November 2022, presents a permanent exhibition. The route includes an accessible walkway of about 2 km across the promontory and a tactile model. The European Heritage Label was awarded to the site in 2015.

Highlights

• Promontory above the Atlantic, at the south-western tip of Europe
• Compass rose, discovered in 1921
• Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça and former governor's house
• Exhibition centre with a permanent exhibition, opened in 2022
• European Heritage Label since 2015

Permanent exhibition

• Exposição permanente do centro expositivo – Permanent exhibition in the exhibition centre of the Correnteza, devoted to the Sagres promontory and its history.

Operated by

Museus e Monumentos de Portugal, E.P.E.

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Residents of Portugal: 52 days per year of the visitor's choice, with proof.

Partner organisations: €8. Discounts and exemptions require proof at the ticket office. Admission is also free for unemployed people resident in the EU, teachers and students on study visits, members of ICOM, ICOMOS and APOM, among others. Payment in cash, by Multibanco and by credit card.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The historic trail, the promontory and the exhibition centre are accessible to visitors with reduced mobility, with an accessible walkway of about 2 km. There is a tactile model of the promontory for visitors with visual impairments.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By car: A22 (Via do Infante) to Lagos, exit Lagos/Vila do Bispo, then EN 125 to Vila do Bispo and EN 268 to Sagres.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop

Café temporarily closed; shop and visitor reception. Auditorium with 50 seats.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The auditorium, a multipurpose room and indoor and outdoor spaces, inside and outside the walls, can be rented.

Plan your visit