According to the municipality, the long-awaited project was only possible after a joint technical inspection by Portugal’s Cultural Heritage Institute, which issued the necessary approval under regulations governing classified monuments within the protected heritage zones.

The preliminary report highlighted significant deterioration on the fortress’s eastern wall, prompting the council to prioritise the repair. While this emergency intervention is now underway, a broader restoration plan for the entire building remains in the diagnostic phase.

The works, budgeted at €149,308 (plus VAT), are scheduled to last 90 days and will include both the preparation of a structural reinforcement plan and the execution of the stabilisation works. Engineers will focus on reinforcing and consolidating weakened areas to counteract the effects of erosion, sea swells and severe weather, which have accelerated the fortress’s decline in recent years.

Built in the late 17th century to defend the entrance to the Bensafrim River, Forte da Ponta da Bandeira is one of the Algarve’s finest examples of Renaissance-inspired military architecture. Once part of the coastal defence network, it now functions as an extension of the Lagos Museum, housing exhibitions that celebrate the town’s maritime and cultural history.

The monument has been closed to the public due to safety concerns stemming from structural damage. Local officials emphasise that the current works are just the first step in a long-term plan to preserve one of Lagos’ most emblematic landmarks.

“The intervention is essential not only for the safety of visitors but also for the safeguarding of a monument that forms part of the city’s identity and collective memory,” the council said in a statement.