{{Short description|Building in India}} {{Infobox Military Structure |name = Fort Tiracol |native_name = Fortaleza da Santíssima Trindade<ref>Joaquim Pedro Celestino Soares: ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=fvBAAAAAcAAJ&dq=forte%20de%20tiracol&pg=PA23 Bosquejo das possessoes portuguezas no Oriente]'', Imprensa nacional, 1851, p.23.</ref> |partof = Goa |image = File:Terekhol Fort 2.jpg |image_size = 300 |caption = |map_type = |map_size = 280 |map_caption = |type = Fort and Church |coordinates= |code = |built = 17th century |builder = Raja of Sawantwadi <br /> Viceroy Pedro Miguel de Almeida |materials = Granite Stones and lime mortar |height = |used = |demolished = n/a |condition = Restored as a luxury hotel. <br /> Church still in use. |open_to_public = Yes |controlledby = Government of Goa |garrison = none |current_commander = none |occupants = Staff and Parishioners |battles = 4 |events = }} '''Fort Santíssima Trindade'''<ref>Joaquim Pedro Celestino Soares: ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=fvBAAAAAcAAJ&dq=forte%20de%20tiracol&pg=PA23 Bosquejo das possessoes portuguezas no Oriente]'', Imprensa nacional, 1851, p.23.</ref> (''Fortaleza da Santíssima Trindade'' in Portuguese) also known as '''Fort Tiracol''', is a Portuguese era fort near the village of Tiracol, in the North Goa district of Goa, India. At the mouth of the Terekhol River, the fort can be reached by a ferry from Querim, {{convert|42|km|abbr=on}} north of Panaji.
==History== It is believed that the fort was originally crudely built by Khem Sawant Bhonsle, the Raja of Sawantwadi, in the 17th century.<ref name="Bharat Online">{{cite web|url=https://www.bharatonline.com/goa/goa-travel/pernem/terekhol-fort.html |title=Terekhol Fort |publisher=Bharatonline.com |access-date=13 March 2011}}</ref> The site chosen was a hillock on the Northern (right) bank of the river, which gave a commanding view of the Arabian sea. The Bhonsles of Sawantwadi kept a sizeable fleet of navy vessels which sheltered in the Tiracol River. The fort initially consisted of 12 guns, a barrack and a chapel.<ref name="Sawants of Wadi">{{cite book |title=Sawants of Wadi - Coastal Politics in 18th and 19th Centuries |last=Mhamai |first=S. K. |year=1984 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |location=New Delhi |pages=56–58 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kUZSHKhKJ4gC |access-date=13 March 2011}}</ref>
In 1746, the Portuguese under the 44th viceroy of Goa, Pedro Miguel de Almeida, waged war against the raja of Sawantwadi, as a retaliation to constant border raids. On 16 November 1746, de Almeida brought the Portuguese fleet up to the river, waged a fierce maritime engagement against the naval forces of the Raja of Sawantwadi in which the Portuguese defeated the Sawantwadi forces utterly. Several skirmishes on land followed and Fort Tiracol was finally surrendered on 23 November 1746 to the Portuguese.<ref name="Sawants of Wadi"/>
The fort became an important part of Portuguese maritime defences; being extensively revamped in 1764.{{cn|date=June 2025}} It remained in Portuguese control till December 1961 when the Portuguese forces in the subcontinent were defeated by India.
On 17 February 1819, following the defeat of the Marathas, a treaty was signed by Raja Bhonsle Khem Sawunt of Sawantwadi who recognised British suzerainty. This treaty effectively abolished the strategic importance of the fort, as it became an enclave in territory controlled by British allies.<ref>{{cite book |title=British and foreign state papers, Volume 12 |last=Great Britain. Foreign and Commonwealth Office |year=1846 |publisher=H.M.S.O. |page=489 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_5cAAAAAYAAJ&q=editions%3Apv5UcL6Z5iAC&pg=PA489 |access-date=13 March 2011}}</ref>
During the Portuguese Civil War, the fort served as a rebel stronghold during an uprising in 1825 against the Portuguese led by Dr. Bernardo Peres da Silva, the first Goan-born viceroy of Goa. It was greatly damaged but the fort and the chapel were later rebuilt.<ref name="Bharat Online"/> A ruthless Commandant, "Tiger-killer" da Cunha entered the fort and ordered the beheading of the entire garrison and the placing of the heads on stakes.<ref name="Bradnocks">{{cite book |title=Footprint Goa Handbook: The Travel Guide |last=Bradnock |first=Robert |edition= 3rd (illustrated) |author2=Bradnock, Roma |year=2002 |publisher=Footprint handbooks |isbn=978-1-903471-22-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pWAnvOJD1qwC |access-date=8 February 2011}}</ref>
Fort Tiracol was a symbolic location where freedom fighters from Goa demonstrated from time to time.<ref name="Bradnocks"/> On 15 August 1954, Satyagrahis protesting Portuguese rule entered Goa from three different directions - one of which was from the North to Fort Tiracol, which was occupied and flew the Indian flag for a day before they were captured and imprisoned.<ref name="Bradnocks"/><ref name="Mody">{{cite book |title=Women in India's freedom struggle |last=Mody |first=Nawaz B. |year=2000 |publisher=Allied Publishers |isbn=978-81-7764-070-0 |page=323 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8RFuAAAAMAAJ&q=Terekhol+fort |access-date=13 March 2011}}</ref>
Now, Fort Tiracol has been converted into a hotel, called the [http://www.forttiracol.in Fort Tiracol Heritage].
==Igreja de Santo António== thumb|Tiracol Church. A Chapel for the Holy Trinity was constructed in the fort courtyard by de Almeida after its capture. This later became the century-old Church of St. Anthony.<ref name="Bradnocks"/> Mass is held every Sunday at 9:00 am. The church is not open to the general public at other times, except on certain occasions, such as the annual feast that is usually held in May.<ref name="Bharat Online"/>
==See also== *Siege of Tiracol
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Fort Tiracol}} * [http://indiatourism.ws/goa/fort_tiracol/ Fort Tiracol] - spherical panorama 360°.
{{Forts and fortresses of the Portuguese empire|state=collapsed}} {{Forts in India|state=collapsed}} {{Coord|15.7306|N|73.682|E|display=title|source:Google Earth}}
Tiracol Tiracol Category:Colonial Goa Category:1749 establishments in India Category:1740s in Portuguese India Tiracol