Lines of Torres Vedras

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Built in secrecy to defend Lisbon during the Peninsular war, the Lines of Torres Vedras are a series of forts built between 1809 and 1810. Despite their name, the Lines of Torres Vedras were actually made up of separate fortifications, carefully placed to provide each other with covering fire. These forts varied in size from a massive fort designed to hold 5000 men, to small gun emplacements designed to mount three guns and 200 men. Hundreds of tons of earth were moved to create this incredible piece of Portuguese history, which became vital to the defence of Lisbon against the French. Visit the ruins of the Lines to see what a massive undertaking it was, and get a feel for what life would have been like for an early 19th century soldier.