Overlooking the beautiful Sinquerim beach is Fort Aguada or Sinquerim Fort. It is located atop the Sinquerim hill. Built in the 16th century, its purpose was to help guard Goa against invaders like the Dutch and the Marathas. It was a reference point for European vessels and a water refilling station for Portuguese ships.
Even today the fort is in relatively good condition and has different sections and fortified walls. The lower portion of the fort was a dock for Portuguese ships. The Portuguese abandoned it in the 19th century.
The Fort divides the shore into two. It is an extension of the Aguada Fort. It’s a great place to watch sunsets, go for a leisurely stroll, feel the cool gentle breeze and watch the waves splashing about.
Sinquerim Fort Architecture
The dimension of Sinquerim Fort is huge. It envelops the whole headland and is situated at the entrance of the Mandovi River. The fort is surrounded by a dense forest since it is located in a hill area. The wall of Sinquerim Fort is about 5 meters tall and 4 feet dense. The fort has an extensive dry moat running around it. The fort is divided into two portions, the upper portion and the lower portion. The lower portion of the fort acts as a safe dock for Portuguese ships where the upper portion has settlements along the walls of about 79 mortars. There is an underground water storing compartment and a gunpowder room in Sinquerim Fort. In the inner walls of the fort, there are iron gratings within regular intervals which advocate the existence of a certain secret passageway in the fort. A special attractiveness of the fort is the marks in the stones of the ramparts, which are a toll taken by salted humidity, weather and the long wet season of the location.
One interesting architectural feature of Sinquerim Fort is a 13-meter tall lighthouse which was created in the year 1864. The lighthouse was primarily used as an oil lamp, but in 1976, it was refurbished and modernised. There was also a gigantic bell in the lighthouse, but it has been transferred to a church in Panaji. Although at present, many of the structures of the fort are damaged, several constructions are still in good condition. At a later phase, the fort was transformed into a prison.
Sinquerim Fort Goa History
Sinquerim Fort was created by the Portuguese in 1613 to protect against the invasion from the Dutch and Marathas. At that time, it was used as a reference centre for the ships which arrived from Europe. The fort was primarily tasked with the safety of shipping. The other name of the Fort is ‘Aguada Fort’ which signifies water because there was a stream in the fort which provided water supply to the vessels. Squads of passing vessels frequently visit this fort to refill water. The lighthouse that was created in Sinquerim Fort was regarded as one of the oldest lighthouses in the entire Asia. To begin with, the lighthouse was used to release light once every 7 minutes. In the year 1834, the lighthouse was updated to release light and to make an eclipse every 30 seconds. According to historical records, Sinquerim Fort prison was used for punishing Salazar’s political enemies. Furthermore, a number of convicts in the prison were found to be Western travellers who served for drug based misconducts. In 1976, the fort was abandoned by the Portuguese.
Sinquerim Fort Goa Tourism Importance
Sinquerim Fort is an eye-catching fort for the fans of history and for photography fanatic people. Standing tall on Sinquerim Beach, Sinquerim Fort can provide travellers with a spectacular view of the location. Furthermore, travellers who love to enjoy architecture can also spend a significant amount of time exploring this place. Although the place was not maintained properly, the residue structures are regarded as great places for tourism.
