Memorial for Henry the Navigator, Sagres, Portugal - Maritime Monuments and Memorials on Waymarking.com

In the Fortaleza de Sagres is a memorial for Prince Henry the Navigator. This simple stone column with a cube on top engraved with Henry's coat of arms was sponsored by the United States Power Squadrons and dedicated in May 1965. The inscription reads:
"The United States Power Squadrons honors the memory of Prince Henry the navigator 1394 - 1460 whose School of Navigation founded on this site opened the way for world wide explorations in the great age of discovery. Dedicated at Sagres this twenty-second day of May 1965. Walter J. Sutcliffe, N Chief Commander."

Sagres is a mecca for navigators. I took a number of Power Squadron courses including celestial navigation at the JN level. I respect the memory of Prince Henry and visited the site. But I am like many visitors quite, disappointed when faced with the reality. Revisionist historians have debunked the legend of Henry's School of Navigation as there is no documentary evidence that the school actually existed.

Henry existed and sponsored voyages along the coast of Africa. He encouraged sailors to keep detailed logs of speed, direction, currents, winds, weather, location etc. This information was shared and encouraged sailors to venture farther. Henry encouraged mapmakers and several visited his villa at Sagres. The Portuguese sailors understood the world was round and latitude could be determined by observing the altitude of the noon sun with a marine astrolabe and knowing the solar declination with an armillary sphere. Christopher Columbus was shipwrecked at Sagres and spent some time there before going back to sea, first to Medira and finally to America. Columbus learned seamanship and navigation from the Portuguese. But the story of Henry's School of Navigation at Sagres is now discounted. We are now in the world where Celestial Navigation is no longer a required course for naval cadets at Annapolis.

The Fortaleza was commissioned by Henry the Navigator to protect this strategic point. Sir Francis Drake trashed it in 1587, one of the incidents leading to the Spanish Armada. The central turret was added when the fort was rebuilt in 1793. The fort has been rebuilt as recently amid controversy. The monumental memorial was not approved, the museum is almost empty and the legend of Henry the Navigator's School of Navigation is discounted by lack of historical evidence. The best documentation seems to be drawings and descriptions in Sir Francis Drake that guided the reconstruction. He found no school, no windrose and no sundial.

List if there are any visiting hours: Opening hours: 10.00 to 18.30 and from May to September: 10.00 to 20.30, closed 1st May and 25th December. Entrance fees (if any): 3 Euros? Sponsor(s): United States Power Squadrons Relevent website: Not listed Parking coordinates: Not Listed Date dedicated: Not listed

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Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   04/09/2024 GEOrgCACHING visited it 12/20/2021 PetjeOp visited it 04/20/2018 Glenthelimey wrote comment for it 04/14/2015 GoaßnToni visited it 10/17/2013 Iris & Harry visited it 09/29/2013 Casper&Aero visited it 04/08/2011 100stress visited it 10/03/2009 h_raky visited it

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