Forte Duque de Caxias, Military fortress on Morro do Leme, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Forte Duque de Caxias is a fortress sitting atop Morro do Leme, overlooking Guanabara Bay and Copacabana Beach far below. The structure features thick stone walls, gun emplacements, and open platforms that still show its original military design.
Construction began in 1776 under Portuguese rule and finished in 1779 as a defense against Spanish invasions from the sea. The fortress went through several name changes before taking its current name in 1935 to honor the Brazilian Army's patron.
The fortress carries a name honoring the patron saint of the Brazilian Army since 1935. Walking through it today, you feel the deep connection between this hilltop and the country's military story.
You can reach the fortress from Leme neighborhood via Praça Almirante Júlio de Noronha, and once there the views stretch across the bay and beach. Wear comfortable shoes because the path up the hill climbs steeply.
In 1943 the fortress gunners mistakenly fired at whales, thinking they were enemy submarines prowling the bay. The incident shows how tense the wartime defenses had become.
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