Queijo Castle

Fort of São Francisco do Queijo (Forte de São Francisco do Queijo)
Castle of St. Francis Xavier
Fort (Forte)
A view of the castle/fort
Official name: Castelo do Queijo/Fortaleza do Queijo/Forte de São Francisco Xavier do Queijo/Museu Militar
Named for: Francisco Xavier
Nickname: Castle of Cheese
Country	Portugal
Region	Norte
Subregion	Grande Porto
District	Porto
Municipality	Porto
Location	Nevogilde
Architects	Miguel de L'École
Style	Medieval
Materials	Granite, Wood, Metal/Steel
Origin	6th century
- Initiated	1643
Owner	Portuguese Republic
For public	Public
Easiest access	Praça de Gonçalves Zarco
Management	Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico
Status	Property of Public Interest
Listing	Decree, 23/684, DG, Série I, 65 (20 March 1934); Special Protection Zone, Dispatch 574/2011; Diário da República, Série II, 109 (6 June 2011); Special Protection Zone and Group from the Maritime Promenade and Avenida de Montevideu.

Fort of São Francisco do Queijo (Portuguese: Forte de São Francisco do Queijo), frequently shortened to Castle of the Cheese (Portuguese: Castelo do Queijo) is a fortification situated along the coast of the civil parish of Nevogilde in the northern Portuguese municipality of Porto.

In early era of settlement, the rocky area of Queijo was sacred to the Draganes, a Celtic tribe that arrived in the 6th century.

The fortification was likely constructed sometime in the 15th century, over the primitive structure that already existed. King John IV of Portugal ordered the construction of a new fort in 1643, designed by French military engineer Miguel de l'Ècole, and directed by Fernando César de Carvalhais Negreiros, then Captain of the Royal Armada (Portuguese: Capitão da Armada Real).

Judges and municipal aldermen for the city of Porto, captain António Pires Picão and various other carrack and caravel captains arrived at the conclusion in 1643 that the fort was badly located, owing to a lack of safe area for disembarking. This as the area was rocky and influenced by strong waters. Friar João Turriano, engineer of the Kingdom, was asked to give his opinion and he determined that that fortification should be constructed away from the site, in the locality of Pedra do Queijo (using the existing materials).

During the Restoration Wars, the fort was rebuilt (at the expense of the city), at a time when citizenry feared attacks from squadrons of Spanish fleets.

By 1717, the city of Porto was responsible for the maintenance of the fort, a heavy burden for municipal coffers, and forcing the town council to petition King John V of Portugal to decommission the fort, owing to its superfluous need. As they mentioned, the fort:

Yet, the King's Council of War, indifferent to the suggest, maintained the fortress active. In 1751, a private chapel was constructed to assist military officers serving at the site.