Sagres is situated inside the Portugal's southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina Natural Park, at the most south-westerly point of Portugal and Europe.


The Sagres Point (pron. ) (Ponta de Sagres, from the Latin Promontorium Sacrum or Holy Promontory), a windswept shelf-like promontory located in the Algarve region, southern Portugal. Next to it lies Cape St. Vincent (Cabo de São Vicente) which forms the southwesternmost tip of Europe.

History

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When prince Henry the Navigator started his enterprise, that would start the Portuguese Age of Discoveries, at his Vila do Infante, the Sagres peninsula lacked the necessary requirements for such large undertakings by its scarcity of water (although it was surrounded by the atlantic ocean, it was a promontory after all), minimal agriculture, lack of wood for shipbuilding and a small population. Henry repopulated a village called Terçanabal that was deserted due to the continuous pirate attacks to the coast. The village was situated in a strategic position for his maritime enterprises and was latter called Vila do Infante.

Henry the Navigator employ cartographers, such as Jehuda Cresques, to help him chart the coast of Mauretania in the wake of voyages he sent there.

He engaged an expert map and instrument-maker, Jayme of Majorca, so that his captains might have the best nautical information. This probably led to the legend of the Nautical School of Sagres (although a "school" also means a group of followers). There was no center of navigational science or any supposed "observatory", if compared to the modern definition of "observatory" or "navigational center", as Russell makes very clear. The centre of his expeditions was actually at Lagos.

This was a time of many important discoveries: cartography was refined with the use of newly devised instruments, such as an improved astrolabium] and improved sundial, maps were regularly updated and extended, and a revolutionary type of vessel was designed: the caravel.

Prince Henry built a chapel next to his house in 1459, as he began to spend more and more time in Sagres in his later years. He died at Sagres on 13th November 1460.

General description

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The 16th century bullwark-like fortress was severely damaged during the Great Earthquake of 1755. It was restored in the mid 20th century, but there is still a 16th century turret present. After passing through the thick tunnel entrance, one sees a giant pebble compass rose (Rosa dos Ventos) of 43m diameter. Normally compass roses are divided into 32 segments, but strangely this one has 40 segments. It could date back to the time of Henry the Navigator.

The much-restored church Nossa Senhora da Graça dates back to 1579. It replaced the original church of Prince Henry of 1459. It was also damaged by the earthquake of 1755. Some alterations to the church were made, such as the building of a new bell tower over the old charnel house of the cemetery. There are still a set of tombstones present. Inside this unpretentious church, the 17 th-century Baroque retable above the altar originates from the Capela...