Urgent intervention aims to prevent collapses and ensure safety.
Portimão City Hall began urgent construction work this week at the Santa Catarina Fortress in Praia da Rocha, aiming to ensure the structural stability of areas that are in an advanced state of decay.
The first and most significant intervention results from a thorough technical survey carried out by the city council, which identified genuine risks of collapse in various parts of the construction, namely cracks, deteriorated flooring, and unstable handrails – some of which already collapsed last winter.
It is important to emphasise that this initial phase of the work will not impose any restrictions on beach access or pedestrian circulation in the areas around the Fortress. The areas that were previously closed will stay closed to the public, as a precautionary measure already in place.
The building yard has been established near the parking lot to minimise its visual and functional impact on visitors.
Construction will start in September, leading to a temporary closure of the area. Alternative access options to the beach will be announced at that time.
With ownership of the property transferred to the local authority in 2023, following the decentralisation of powers from the Port Authority of Sines and the Algarve, this intervention marks the start of a wider process of rehabilitating the Santa Catarina Fortress, a landmark of the city’s identity and its collective memory.
