Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications

The Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications is a Unesco World Heritage Site, inscribed in the World Heritage list in 2012. Elvas is a Portuguese city in Alentejo, near the Portuguese-Spanish border.

Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Walls and fortifications of Elvas
LocationElvas, Portalegre District, Alentejo, Portugal
CriteriaCultural: (iv)
Reference1367bis
Inscription2012 (36th session)
Extensions2013
Area179.356 ha (443.20 acres)
Buffer zone690 ha (1,700 acres)
Coordinates38°52′50.23″N 7°9′47.96″W
Location of Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications in Portugal

The site, extensively fortified from the 17th to 19th centuries, represents the largest bulwarked dry ditch system in the world. Within its walls, the town contains barracks and other military buildings as well as churches and monasteries. While Elvas contains remains dating back to the 10th century, its fortification began during the Portuguese Restoration War. The fortifications played a major role in the Battle of the Lines of Elvas in 1659. The fortifications were designed by Flemish Jesuit Padre João Piscásio Cosmander and represent the best surviving example of the Dutch school of fortifications anywhere. The site consists the following:

  1. Amoreira Aqueduct, built to withstand long sieges.
  2. Historic Centre
  3. Fort of Santa Luzia and the covered way
  4. Nossa Senhora da Graça Fort
  5. Fortlet of São Mamede
  6. Fortlet of São Pedro
  7. Fortlet of São Domingos

References
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