Taipa Fortress, Military fortress in Taipa, Macau.
Taipa Fortress is a military installation in Macau with trapezoidal walls built on solid granite foundations. The structure displays a carefully planned defensive arrangement with multiple wall layers designed to withstand attacks.
The building was constructed between 1617 and 1626 to protect Jesuit properties in the region. It proved its defensive value during the Dutch invasion attempt of 1622 and played an important role in the area's military history.
The fortress blends Portuguese military design with local building techniques, using rammed earth walls reinforced with crushed oyster shells for strength. This mixture of European and regional methods shows how construction practices merged in this region.
The site was a military zone until 1965 and can be visited today as part of a museum. Visitors should expect uneven ground and steep slopes when exploring the entire layout.
Three seaward-facing walls were built with especially thick granite foundations to withstand naval bombardment, while the mainland-facing wall follows an entirely different construction pattern. This contrasting design reveals how defenders assessed threats from different directions.
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