Peniche Fortress and the National Museum of Resistance and Freedom
From coastal defence to political prison under the Estado Novo dictatorship: the story of Peniche Fortress and the museum that has told it since 2024.
Next to Peniche harbour stands one of the most striking fortresses on the Portuguese coast. Built to defend the coastline and classified as a National Monument in 1938, it took on a very different meaning in the 20th century.
A political prison of the Estado Novo
Between 1934 and 1974 the fortress was one of the dictatorship’s main political prisons. Almost 2,700 political prisoners, men and women who opposed the regime, were held here.
The escapes
The most famous took place on 3 January 1960, when Álvaro Cunhal, leader of the Communist Party, escaped from the fortress together with other political prisoners. Earlier, on 17 December 1957, António Dias Lourenço had also managed to escape.
The museum
The National Museum of Resistance and Freedom opened on 27 April 2024, 50 years after the political prisoners were freed. You can visit the high-security and individual cells, the Gallery of Freedom, the “Resistance and Freedom” exhibition and the Chapel of Santa Bárbara. Some areas are free to enter.
Practical information
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm (last entry 5.15 pm). Closed on Mondays.
- Where: Campo da República, Peniche, a few minutes’ walk from the centre.
- Hours and prices may change: check the museum’s official website before your visit.
Afterwards, walk along the walls and the fishing harbour and finish with a fresh fish lunch. Stay in one of our homes in Peniche and explore the town at your own pace.