with Holland, which had a sizeable fleet. During the Restoration War the Algarve thus played a very peripheral role, and its defensive structures began to deteriorate. After the Restoration War, the Algarve coast was frequently attacked by pirates and privateers, so the construction of a network of maritime defences was ordered to protect the city of Lagos, which at that time was the seat of the military government of the Algarve. Designed by Captain Inácio Pereira, the Ponta da Bandeira Fort began to be built around 1680, by order of Luís Lopo da Silveira, 2nd Count of Sarzedas and Governor of the Kingdom of the Algarve. It was completed in 1690, under the guidance of Francisco Luís Baltazar da Gama (1636–1707), 6th Count of Vidigueira and 2nd Marquis of Nisa. The chapel appears to have also been built at that time, since the tiles inside it also date from the 17th century. The fort was considered one of the most advanced in the Algarve region, reflecting several decades of development of Portuguese military architecture. It has a very simple shape, being just a square with an elevated terrace facing the ocean that is reached by a ramp. There are several gun emplacements. It exemplified the change in military policies after the Restoration War, which reduced emphasis on large coastal fortresses, preferring instead more, but smaller, fortifications. The strength of its construction has meant that it has remained relatively intact, while other fortifications in the Algarve have been greatly modified or destroyed over the years. History The fort was badly damaged by the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake. Priority was given to restoring the defences of Lagos after the earthquake, in order to protect the population from raids from the sea. In 1769 it was reportedly suffering damage due to the force of the ocean waters. In the 19th century it was showing signs of decay and in 1826 it was the object of restoration work on the walls by the Ministry of War. In 1828, the fort briefly housed forty political prisoners. In an article in the newspaper O Panorama of 5 November 1842, it was reported that the Fort of Ponta da Bandeira was unable to effectively defend the bay, because it lacked the proper garrison and artillery. In the 20th century, the fort underwent several changes in its structure. One of the biggest interventions started in 1956, when changes were