Castro fortress facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fortress of O Castro |
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| Fortaleza do Castro Fortaleza del Castro |
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| Vigo, Galicia in Spain | |
One of the walls of Fortress
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 Castro Fortress
Location in Spain
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| Coordinates | 42°13′55.90″N 8°43′38.78″W / 42.2321944°N 8.7274389°W |
| Type | Fortification |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Concello de Vigo |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1665 |
| Built by | Engineer Colonel Fernando de Gourannanbergue |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Vigo Bay, Peninsular War |
The Fortress of O Castro is an old fortress on a hill in Vigo, Spain. It was built in 1665. Its main job was to protect the city from attacks by the British Royal Navy. The British were helping Portugal during the Portuguese Restoration War.
Contents
Building the Fortress
The city's defense system had three main parts. It included the O Castro Fortress, the San Sebastián Fortress, and a city wall. The wall is now gone.
The city wall was not straight because of the hills and valleys in Vigo. It was built to connect the two fortresses. An engineer named Fernando de Gourannanbergue helped design it. Even with all this effort, the defenses were not always strong enough. Old documents show that attackers could still land further along the coast.
Battles and Changes
The fortress and Vigo faced many attacks over the years.
Battle of Vigo Bay
On October 23-24, 1702, the British navy attacked Vigo again. This happened during the War of the Spanish Succession. The city and the fortress were looted.
War of the Quadruple Alliance
In October 1719, British forces captured Vigo and the fortress once more. This was during the War of the Quadruple Alliance.
French Occupation and Recapture
In 1809, the French army took over the fortress. This was during the Peninsular War. But on March 28 of that year, the people of Vigo fought back. They rose up and took the fortress back from the French. Because of this brave act, Vigo was given a special title. The city was called "the faithful, loyal and courageous city of Vigo" the next year.
O Castro Today
Today, the Fortress of O Castro is a popular spot for people in Vigo. It has beautiful gardens and open spaces. There are also fountains and amazing views of the city and the sea. It's a great place to go for a walk and enjoy history.
Gallery
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Part of the internal garden of the fortress
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Part of the internal garden and "cruceiro" of the fortress
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One of the entries of the second wall
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One of the entries of the first wall
See also
In Spanish: Fortaleza del Castro para niños
