Forte de São João Batista do Brum, Military fort and museum in Recife, Brazil

The Forte de São João Batista do Brum is a stone fortress with thick walls and old cannons that once faced the ships in the harbor. The site still shows its original layout with different rooms, staircases, and viewpoints from which the sea could be monitored.

Construction began in October 1629 under Portuguese engineer Diogo Pais, but the fort was still unfinished when Dutch forces took it in February 1630. Dutch engineers Tobias Commersteyn, Andréas Drewich and Pieter van Bueren completed it from April–May 1630 and named it Fort Bruyne after Johan Bruyne of the Dutch Brazil council. Recaptured by the Portuguese in 1654, it was renamed Forte de São João Batista and rebuilt in stone from 1671, with a flooded moat added, works finishing in 1690.

The museum displays weapons, coins, and documents from the period when the Portuguese controlled the region. Visitors can understand how colonial rule shaped life in this area.

The site can be explored on foot, though the ground is uneven in places and the stairs can be steep. Wearing comfortable shoes is recommended and you should allow time to explore all areas.

From the walls one could spot a ship from far away before it reached the harbor. Defenders used this strategic advantage to prepare for incoming threats.