Forte de Santo Antônio do Macapá, Military fortress in Macapá, Brazil
Forte de Santo Antônio do Macapá is an old military fortress on the left bank of the Amazon River, built from large granite stones. The site has tall walls with bastions and was designed to protect the river and control trade routes passing through the area.
The Portuguese began construction in 1688 and reused stones and materials from an earlier English fort called Cumaú. The new fortress quickly became an important point for Portuguese control over the Amazon and the northern territories.
The fortress displays Portuguese colonial architecture with thick stone walls that still shape the city's appearance today. Visitors can see how it once controlled river trade and made Portuguese presence visible throughout the region.
The best way to explore the fortress is with a guided tour where someone can explain the buildings and old defensive structures. It helps to wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for steep stairs in the bastions.
French forces captured the fortress in 1697, but the Portuguese retook it just one month later with help from local fighters. This quick recapture shows how important the site was for European control of the region.
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