Corjuem Fort

Corjuem Fort
Forte da Assunção de Corjuem
Part ofGoa
Bardez,Goa
Corjuem Fort
Coordinates	15.5968°N 73.8928°E/15.5968; 73.8928
Type	Fortress battery
Site information
Controlled by	Portuguese India(1705–1961) India(1961–present)
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Partial Ruin
Site history
Built	1705(1705)
Built by	Caetano de Melo e Castro
In use	Abandoned in 1894
Demolished	no

Fort Corjuem

Fort AssunçãoorCorjuem Fortis a fortress situated 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the village ofAldonaon theriver islandof Corjuem,Goa.It was a military fortress for the defense ofPortuguese India.It is smaller than the other forts in Goa, but it gives a good view of the surrounding river and land. It is a protected monument under the Goa, Daman and Diu ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains act.

Corjuem Fort is 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) fromPanjim.

Location

The Fort of Corjuem (Portuguese:Forte de Corjuem) is situated on anislandwith the same name inBardez,to the east of the village ofAldona,from which it is separated by theMapuçá River(a tributary of theMandovi). It is one of the only two inland forts that are surviving that are made of pitted laterite.

History

The original occupiers of the island around the fort were theBammonsofSancoale,but it was raided by Marathas (in the late 1600s) who later transferred control to Sawant-Bhonsle of Sawantwadi. Under the Portuguese Viceroy Caetano de Mello e Castro, the control of the island came back underPortuguese India's administration.This fort built in 1705, by the Portuguese, as a defense againstMaratha aggression,and was subsequently rebuilt and reinforced by them to boost up defenses alongPanjim. In the eighteenth century, this fort successfully protected the Portuguese from the Bhonsles and the Ranes, who were camped just beyond theMandovi River.

In the early 1800s, the fort was used as a Military School and had in its defenses a battery of four guns. The fortress defended the town ofCorjuemand also has a chapel under the parochial church of Aldona. The fort fell into disuse after the success ofNovas Conquistas,as it had lost its purpose as a border defense.

Incidents

The fort also has an interesting incident in which an ambitious Portuguese woman namedUrsula e Lancastre,who determined to see the man's world, dressed as a male and took up navigation and military roles. She landed up at Corjuem as a soldier and many years later, voluntarily revealed her gender as she wished to marry a man.

Santuário de Santo António de Lisboa

There is a Shrine dedicated toSt. Anthonywithin the walls of the fort, at its entrance. It is under the ownership of the Parish of Aldona and is regularly patronized and renovated.