Fuerte de Purén, Fort in Purén, Chile

Fuerte de Purén is a wooden palisade fort of square plan on a hill in Purén, Araucanía Region. Four watchtowers stand at the corners of the walled perimeter, with a Chilean flag at the centre. The present structure is a 1982 replica on the original site, now part of the 14,650 m² Parque Histórico Fuerte Purén opened in July 2014.

The fort was built in 1868 by the Chilean Army under Colonel Cornelio Saavedra Rodriguez's command. It followed Chile's military expansion into the Araucanía region after the country gained independence.

The fort's name distinguishes it from earlier Spanish-built forts like San Juan Bautista and Jesús: it is the only one in the commune built after Chilean independence, hence "Republicano". The Mapuche Museum next to it displays Mapuche pieces and native flora and fauna of Chile. The actress Malú Gatica asked to be cremated and her ashes scattered around the fort, as her son León carried out.

The fort stands on a hill above Purén's urban area, and the 14,650 m² Parque Histórico Fuerte Purén opened around it in July 2014. Its walkways are adapted for wheelchair users and lead to a lookout over the town. The Museo Mapuche de Purén sits beside the fort, so both can be seen in one visit.

The actress Malú Gatica asked that her ashes be scattered around the fort after her death, and her son León carried out that wish. The site also holds a Mapuche museum with local pieces and native flora and fauna of Chile.