Doubt continues to exist as to the origin of the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Rocha, as well as the original fort that existed on this site.
The privileged location on a promontory reflects the importance of the site, which was fortified to help secure the coast from Ossonoba (Faro) to Lacobriga (Lagos), as well as protecting the beach and maritime access.
The 8th century is normal used as a reference, suggesting a construction based on the reuse of existing Roman-era elements.
The actual configuration of the temple is difficult to catalog.
On one hand, the constructors reused the capitals, presupposing a public construction that occurred in the High Middle Ages.
On the other hand, successive remodelling, painting and lack of prior archaeological excavations has made rigorous analysis impossible; this lack of information has contributed to the difficulty in dating and contextualizing the style of architecture.
Despite a lack of archaeological research, scholars believe that at the time of the Muslim invasion of the Iberian peninsula, the site was already a military fortification.

In the last few years, different authors have suggested distinct hypothesizes to explain the origin of the temple.
Teresa Gamito, on studying the Byzantine presence in the Algarve, saw in the chapel proof of the vitality of Byzantine reconquest of the peninsula.
To the author, the configuration of the atrium and its similarity with the Chapel of São Pedro de Balsemão, were proofs confirming the Byzantine origins of the temple, whose oriental design was verifiable in the Visigothic epoch.
The confusion evident in Gamito's arguments were later reexamined by Manuel Justino Maciel, who systematically deconstructed the indications of its Byzantine-Visigothic construction, while not specifically advancing new data on the building.

There are no local records which shed light on the castle or fort, and it is not mentioned in writings until a grant by King Afonso III to his chancellor, D. Estevão (in a document sent to the people of Santa Maria de Faro), dated February 1250.
Equally problematic was the proposal of Cláudio Torres, who saw in the chapel a "centre of pilgrimage in the Mozarab epoch".
The reuse of capitals during the Middle Ages was not only limited to this period, but also again reused during the 9th to 11th century.

During the 13th century, King Denis ordered the construction of a fortress to protect the hermitage, whose construction, following the legend of that time, was located on the site of a mysterious Marian apparition.

King John III ordered a reconstruction of the fort around the 16th century, owing to cases of invasions/incursions by Moorish pirates, as well as the defense of the beach for trade.

But dating of the fort is still unclear; there is secure information only after the end of the 16th century, at the time when Tomé Gonçalves was identified as governor.
But, by 1821, the fort was encountered in an advance state of ruin; there was no indication as to the original perimeter/extent of this fortress.
It is likely that much of what remains of the fortress was destroyed through successive landslides and destruction caused by ocean swells (to this date, its perimetre continues to be threatened ocean forces).

A final phase of remodelling and reconstruction occurred in the 19th century.

The site was partially restored by the Direcção-Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais (Directorate-General of Buildings and National Monuments), during the 1960s, while proposals to investigate and protect the monument were submitted.
This included the reconstruction of the walls and repairs to the fort and chapel, demolition of the roof, repairs to the azulejo tile and reconstruction of the pavements (accomplished in 1963); the replacement of the doors and window frames (in 1964); the reconstruction and repair of the pavements and azulejos (in 1965); and the restoration of the walls, repair of the cupola and a clean-up of the landscape within the vicinity of the structures (in 1968).
Following an earthquake in 1969, much of the existing fortres
Doubt continues to exist as to the origin of the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Rocha, as well as the original fort that existed on this site. The privileged location on a promontory reflects the importance of the site, which was fortified to help secure the coast from Ossonoba (Faro) to Lacobriga (Lagos), as well as protecting the beach and maritime access. The 8th century is normal used as a reference, suggesting a construction based on the reuse of existing Roman-era elements. The actual configuration of the temple is difficult to catalog. On one hand, the constructors reused the capitals, presupposing a public construction that occurred in the High Middle Ages. On the other hand, successive remodelling, painting and lack of prior archaeological excavations has made rigorous analysis impossible; this lack of information has contributed to the difficulty in dating and contextualizing the style of architecture. Despite a lack of archaeological research, scholars believe that at the time of the Muslim invasion of the Iberian peninsula, the site was already a military fortification.
In the last few years, different authors have suggested distinct hypothesizes to explain the origin of the temple. Teresa Gamito, on studying the Byzantine presence in the Algarve, saw in the chapel proof of the vitality of Byzantine reconquest of the peninsula. To the author, the configuration of the atrium and its similarity with the Chapel of São Pedro de Balsemão, were proofs confirming the Byzantine origins of the temple, whose oriental design was verifiable in the Visigothic epoch. The confusion evident in Gamito's arguments were later reexamined by Manuel Justino Maciel, who systematically deconstructed the indications of its Byzantine-Visigothic construction, while not specifically advancing new data on the building.
There are no local records which shed light on the castle or fort, and it is not mentioned in writings until a grant by King Afonso III to his chancellor, D. Estevão (in a document sent to the people of Santa Maria de Faro), dated February 1250. Equally problematic was the proposal of Cláudio Torres, who saw in the chapel a "centre of pilgrimage in the Mozarab epoch". The reuse of capitals during the Middle Ages was not only limited to this period, but also again reused during the 9th to 11th century.
During the 13th century, King Denis ordered the construction of a fortress to protect the hermitage, whose construction, following the legend of that time, was located on the site of a mysterious Marian apparition.
King John III ordered a reconstruction of the fort around the 16th century, owing to cases of invasions/incursions by Moorish pirates, as well as the defense of the beach for trade.
But dating of the fort is still unclear; there is secure information only after the end of the 16th century, at the time when Tomé Gonçalves was identified as governor. But, by 1821, the fort was encountered in an advance state of ruin; there was no indication as to the original perimeter/extent of this fortress. It is likely that much of what remains of the fortress was destroyed through successive landslides and destruction caused by ocean swells (to this date, its perimetre continues to be threatened ocean forces).
A final phase of remodelling and reconstruction occurred in the 19th century.
The site was partially restored by the Direcção-Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais (Directorate-General of Buildings and National Monuments), during the 1960s, while proposals to investigate and protect the monument were submitted. This included the reconstruction of the walls and repairs to the fort and chapel, demolition of the roof, repairs to the azulejo tile and reconstruction of the pavements (accomplished in 1963); the replacement of the doors and window frames (in 1964); the reconstruction and repair of the pavements and azulejos (in 1965); and the restoration of the walls, repair of the cupola and a clean-up of the landscape within the vicinity of the structures (in 1968). Following an earthquake in 1969, much of the existing fortres
Fort of Nossa Senhora da Rocha (Porches)