Itaipu Fortress, Military fortress in Praia Grande, Brazil.
Itaipu Fortress is a military installation in Praia Grande along the Brazilian Atlantic coast, built with walls, gun emplacements, and barracks. The buildings and fortifications follow a clear strategic layout to watch over the coastal waters.
Designed in 1896 to control shipping at the São Vicente bar, the gateway to Santos harbour, the fort received six Krupp 150 mm guns ordered from Germany in 1901. Work on the first battery began in 1903, followed between 1904 and 1906 by the barracks, magazine and commander's house, and from 1909 by the howitzer battery. Colonel Ximeno Villeroy directed the works, and the Duque de Caxias installations were handed over in 1918.
The name honours Duke of Caxias, and the fort's battery of six Krupp 150 mm L/50 guns was ordered from Germany in 1901. In 1932 the garrison backed the Constitutionalist revolt, replacing the Schneider-Canet guns with painted wooden replicas and shipping the real artillery on the armoured train nicknamed "Fantasma da Morte".
The grounds are open daily and offer clear views of the surroundings and the chance to explore different parts of the installation. Sturdy shoes are a good idea since the terrain can be uneven and some areas have steps or rises.
The fort sits in an exposed position jutting toward the water, giving a rare viewpoint over the harbor bays. This particular location is one of the few places where you can understand the defense logic of the 1900s from such close quarters.
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