Fortaleza de São Francisco Xavier da Ilha de Villegagnon, Military fortress in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The fortress occupies a strategic position on Villegagnon Island within Guanabara Bay, featuring defensive walls and structures built in Renaissance military style.
Portuguese forces constructed this fortification in 1695 under Governor Sebastião de Castro Caldas to protect the harbor after destroying the French Fort Coligny.
The fortress bears the name of Saint Francis Xavier, reflecting the Portuguese religious influence during Brazil's colonial period in the region.
The structure now houses the Brazilian Naval Academy, with guided tours available through the Ministry of Marine for those interested in military history.
During the 1711 French invasion led by René Duguay-Trouin, an explosion in the gunpowder storage destroyed the original twenty-cannon fortification.
Location: Rio de Janeiro
GPS coordinates: -22.91389,-43.15972
Latest update: March 6, 2025 00:03
IRB
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