Nayeem at 14:01, 29 March 2026

2026-03-29T14:01:13Z

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{{Short description|Fortress in Goa, India}}
{{Infobox military installation
|name = Corjuem Fort
|native_name = Forte da Assunção de Corjuem
|partof = [[Goa]]
|location = [[Bardez]], [[Goa]]
|image = Fort_Corjuem.jpg
|caption = Aerial view of the fortress
|map_type =India Goa
|coordinates = {{coord|15.5968|73.8928|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline}}
|map_size = 200
|map_alt =
|map_caption = Location of Corjuem Fort in Goa
|type = Fortress battery
|code =
|built = {{Start date|1705}}
|builder = Caetano de Melo e Castro
|materials =
|height =
|used = Decommissioned in 1834
|demolished = No
|condition = Under Restoration<ref>https://www.prudentmedia.in/politics/corjuem-fort-restoration-to-be-completed-by-march-2026/35486.html</ref>
|ownership =
|open_to_public = Yes
|controlled by = [[Portuguese India]] (1705–1961)<br />[[India]] (1961–present)
| website = {{URL|https://corjuemisland.com/}}
|garrison =
|current_commander =
|commanders =
|occupants =
|battles =
|events =
|image2 =
|caption2 =
}}

'''Fort Assunção'''<ref>Joaquim Pedro Celestino Soares: ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=C0JqWz6mmnkC&dq=forte%20de%20carambolim&pg=PA48-IA5 Bosquejo das possessoes portuguezas no Oriente]'' Imprensa nacional, 1851</ref> or '''Corjuem Fort''' is a fortress situated {{convert|4|km|mi}} from the village of [[Aldona]] on the [[river island]] of Corjuem, [[Goa]]. It was a military fortress for the defense of [[Portuguese 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.<ref name="toi">{{cite news|last1=Fernandes|first1=Joaquim|title=Goa government to restore Corjuem fort|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Goa-government-to-restore-Corjuem-fort/articleshow/40411454.cms|access-date=21 August 2016|work=[[Times of India]]|date=Aug 19, 2014}}</ref>

Corjuem Fort is {{convert|12|km|mi}} from [[Panjim]].

==Location==
The Fort of Corjuem ({{langx|pt|italic=yes|Forte de Corjuem}}) is situated on an [[Corjuem island|island]] with the same name in [[Bardez]], to the east of the village of [[Aldona]], from which it is separated by the [[Mapusa River|Mapuçá River]] (a tributary of the [[Mandovi River|Mandovi]]). It is one of the only two inland forts that are surviving that are made of pitted [[laterite]].

==History==
[[File:Ferreiras at Corjuem.jpg|thumb|Ferreira family of Corjuem, including famous composer and lawyer Adv. Carlos Ferreira, Adv. Jose Heliodoro Ferreira, Dr. Jose Filippe Alvares and Dr. Armando Ferreira Alvares.]]
Under the Portuguese Viceroy Caetano de Mello e Castro, the control of the island came back under [[Portuguese India]]'s administration.<ref>[[:pt:Caetano de Melo e Castro]], Retrieved 10 May 2012{{Circular reference|date=September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=da Fonseca|first=José Nicolau|title=Historical and Archaeological Sketch of the City of Goa|date=January 1878|publisher=Thacker & Co.|pages=85|url=https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jos%C3%A9_Nicolau_da_Fonseca_An_historical_and_arch%C3%A6olo?id=-aA5AQAAIAAJ&feature=more_from_author}}</ref> This fort built in 1705, by the Portuguese, as a defense against [[Maratha Invasion of Goa (1683)|Maratha aggression]], and was subsequently rebuilt and reinforced by them to boost up defenses along [[Panjim]].
In the eighteenth century, this fort successfully protected the Portuguese from the Bhonsles and the Ranes, who were camped just beyond the [[Mandovi River]].

[[File:Dr_Jaime_Portrait.jpg|thumb|[[Jaime Valfredo Rangel]], Industrialist, politician and owner of Corjuem Fort<ref>{{cite web | title=After renovation, Corjuem Fort to see heritage tourism | work=The Times of India | date=3 June 2023 | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/after-renovation-corjuem-fort-to-see-heritage-tourism/articleshow/100712746.cms }}</ref>]]

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 of [[Corjuem]] and also has a chapel under the parochial church of Aldona. The fort fell into disuse after the success of [[Novas Conquistas]], as it had lost its purpose as a border defense.<ref>{{cite book|last=da Fonseca|first=José Nicolau|title=Historical and Archaeological Sketch of the City of Goa|date=January 1878|publisher=Thacker & Co.|pages=86|url=https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jos%C3%A9_Nicolau_da_Fonseca_An_historical_and_arch%C3%A6olo?id=-aA5AQAAIAAJ&feature=more_from_author}}</ref>

==Development of Corjuem==

Since the early 1800s<ref>https://corjuemisland.com/</ref> the custodian of the island and Fort have been Joao Filippe Ferreira and his descendants.<ref>{{cite web | title=Khorjuve also known as Corjuem in Goa, Corjuem fort information, About the Corjuem Aldona bridge, Places to visit in Corjuem | url=https://www.goaholidayhomes.com/information/khorguve.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Corjuem Village Population - Bardez - North Goa, Goa | url=https://www.census2011.co.in/data/village/626683-corjuem-goa.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Corjuem Fort (January 2026) Timings,Tickets,reviews,Tips,Contact number | url=https://www.explorebees.com/India/Goa/Goa/Corjuem+Fort/pl25265 }}</ref>
He also installed the altar of St. Anthony in the Fort. His family was influential in the construction of the 5 chapels and 3 temples in the village as well as being the benefactors of the Corjuem Gymkhana and the Mae de Deus School Corjuem.<ref>{{cite web | title=Preserving the Past: Corjuem Fort Emerges as a Beacon of Heritage Tourism | date=2 June 2023 | url=https://www.goaprism.com/preserving-the-past-corjuem-fort-emerges-as-beacon-of-heritage-tourism/ }}</ref> They developed the island post 1961, working with the authorities on roads, electrification and both the bridges.

Corjuem which was earlier just a ward of Aldona with no separate parish, first considered as a separate village in the Census of 1971 with 467 people, now has over 2,700 and comes under the Aldona Panchayat.

The Fort is currently under restoration by the Directorate of Archaeology Govt of Goa with backing from the Alvares Ferreira and Ferreira Rangel families.<ref>{{cite web | title=After renovation, Corjuem Fort to see heritage tourism | work=The Times of India | date=3 June 2023 | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/after-renovation-corjuem-fort-to-see-heritage-tourism/articleshow/100712746.cms }}</ref>

==Folklore==
[[File:Carlos Eugenio Pic.png|thumb|Adv. Carlos Eugenio Ferreira, the most famous son of Corjuem]]
The fort also has an interesting incident in which an ambitious Portuguese woman named [[Maria Ursula Lancastro y Abreu|Ursula 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.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bryn Thomas|first=Douglas Streatfeild-James|title=Lonely Planet : Goa|date=Feb 1998|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=0864424884|page=285|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GZUwAQAAIAAJ&q=Ursula+e+Lancastre}}</ref>
The famous [[Dekhni]] song Hanv Saiba Poltoddi Voitam" by Carlos Eugenio Ferreira, grandson of Joao Fillipe Ferreira was written about crossing the river behind Corjuem Fort<ref>https://epaper.navhindtimes.in/PageImages/pdf/2025/06/08/0806025-md-ga-13.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=January 2026}}</ref>[[File:Carlos_Eugenio_Ferreira.jpg|thumb| Hanv Saiba Poltoddi Voitam composed by Carlos Eugenio Ferreira Goa's most famous [[Dekhni]] song ]]

==Santuário de Santo António de Lisboa==
There is a Shrine dedicated to [[Anthony of Padua|St. Anthony]] within the walls of the fort, at its entrance. It is under the ownership of the Parish of Aldona and is regularly patronized and renovated.

==References==
{{reflist}}
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/corjuem-fort-to-be-developed-as-heritage-touristic-destination/articleshow/59758817.cms |title=Corjuem fort to be developed as heritage touristic destination |date=Oct 2018 |website=timesofindia}}</ref>

{{coord|15.59678|73.89281|type:landmark_region:IN-GA|display=title}}
{{Forts and fortresses of the Portuguese empire|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Portuguese forts]]
[[Category:Forts in Goa]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in North Goa district]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1705]]
[[Category:1705 establishments in India]]
[[Category:1894 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:1890s disestablishments in Portuguese India]]
[[Category:Military installations established in 1705]]

Corjuem Fort - Revision history

Nayeem at 14:01, 29 March 2026