St. Estêvãm Fort

Goa, India

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St. Estêvão Fort, also known as Fort of Santo Estêvão, St Francis Xavier Fort or Fort of Jua, is a small Portuguese military fort on Santo Estêvão Island in the Tiswadi (Ilhas) taluka of North Goa, India.

Built on the highest point of the island in the mid‑16th century originally as a watchtower to guard the Mandovi River, it was later expanded into a compact fort after Maratha raids in the late 17th century, serving as part of Goa’s eastern coastal defence.

The fort sits on a hillock above the village of St. Estêvão and offers panoramic views of the river and the island, and after decades of neglect it has been restored and is now maintained as a minor heritage site near the modern shrine of Christ the King, where visitors can see the remains of bastions and walls along with the commanding scenery.