A historic lifeboat station in the Algarve is due to be given national heritage status in a move aimed at protecting one of the region’s most distinctive coastal buildings.
According to an announcement published in the Diário da República state newspaper, the government has formally begun proceedings to classify the former Instituto de Socorro a Náufragos (Lifeboat Institute) building in Fuseta, in the municipality of Olhão.
The lifeboat station is located in the Ria Formosa, facing the fishing town and forming a distinctive part of its landscape.
The building was constructed during Portugal’s Estado Novo regime in the second half of the 20th century. In 1996, its keys were handed over by the Lifeboat Institute to the Direção-Geral do Património do Estado (Portuguese State Heritage Board), and it has remained closed ever since.
Olhão municipal council says the building’s unique location within the Ria Formosa and its modernist architectural design make it a landmark of both cultural and historical value. The local authority adds that the building is beloved by locals.
Plans are already in place to restore and repurpose the site. According to the council, the project will include structural repairs, architectural rehabilitation and functional upgrades, with the aim of transforming the building into a new cultural space.
Once completed, it is expected to become part of the Municipal Museum of Olhão, operating as an interpretative centre.
This is not the first attempt to secure protected status for the building. A previous classification process was launched in 2008 but was ultimately rejected by the then heritage authority and expired the following year.
A new proposal was submitted in April 2023 by the Direção Regional de Cultural do Algarve (Regional Board for Culture of the Algarve), leading to the current national-level classification process.
