Forte de Sao Francisco
Hotel is situated at the Pedisqueira summit, within the walls of the
Sao Francisco Fort. On this sight is where the Franciscan Order had
built a convent at the beginning of the XVIth century, named the
Convento de Nossa Senhora do Rosario, later turned into a military
fortress in 1658, playing a very important role in expelling
Napoleon’s troops from Portugal. This architectonic monument -
classified as a National Monument since 1938, has been now
completely restored. Its regional façade is a work of art considered
today as one of the most important works of restoration ever
achieved in Portugal. The hotel is in two buildings, the original
one with the beautiful church totally restored where many weeding
take place and the new annex, both connected through an under path.
There are close to 15,000 m2 of gardens and courtyards within the
fort walls which are all now part of the hotel as well. The
accommodations are as comfortable as in any new four star hotels,
considering this establishment was inaugurated in May of 1997. The
rooms in the annex are usually more spacious than the ones in the
main house, which is quite understandable considering these were
built from scratch following today’s standard measurements and the
others had to be transformed.
