Bastioned walls
18th-century design.
Alécio Cezar — CC BY-SA 4.0 · MTur Destinos — Public domain · jose donizetti dias — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Alécio Cezar — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Fortress of São José de Macapá is a huge fort on the left bank of the Amazon in Macapá, capital of Amapá, built as part of the Marquis of Pombal's wide plan to defend the Amazon and close the river's northern mouth. Its foundation stone was laid on 29 June 1764, after the governor and a military engineer approved the plan that January, and building took 18 years until it opened in 1782, the work of enslaved and indigenous labourers. It is one of the finest examples of 18th-century military architecture in Brazil, with bastioned walls, and its ramparts look out over the vast river. Today it is a museum and the most visited sight in the state. Entry is free, Tuesday to Sunday 8:00-18:00. In 2026 the fort is undergoing a large restoration but has stayed open to visitors, so some parts may be closed for a time.
18th-century design.
The wide Amazon.
Defence history.
Left bank of the Amazon, central Macapá, Amapá
Yes, it stays open for free, Tuesday to Sunday 8:00-18:00, though some parts may close for a time.