From the top.
Halley Pacheco de Oliveira — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mteixeira62 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Halley Pacheco de Oliveira — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carlos Luis M C da Cruz — Public domain · Halley Pacheco de Oliveira — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Daniel Garcia Neto from Rio, Brazil — CC BY 2.0 · Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Duque de Caxias Fort, known as the Leme Fort, is a colonial fort on top of the Pedra do Leme at the eastern end of Copacabana beach. It was built from the 1770s, with sources differing on when it was finished, to warn the other Guanabara Bay forts of approaching enemy ships. It was called the Lookout Fort because it had no artillery, and took the name of the Duke of Caxias in 1935. It ended its military role in 1965 and today houses a Brazilian Army studies centre. You reach it on a paved trail of about 800 metres inside the military area, through Atlantic Forest, and the top rewards you with a wide view over the Copacabana arc, Sugarloaf and the ocean. It usually opens Tuesday to Sunday; check times and fees.
From the top.
800 metres.
No guns.
Top of the Pedra do Leme, Rio de Janeiro
Praia do LemeLeme Beach is the quiet eastern end of Rio's Copacabana arc, closed off by the P6 minutes walk4.6
Praia Vermelha and the Cláudio Coutinho TrailPraia Vermelha, «Red Beach», is a small beach in the quiet Urca district at the 12 minutes walk4.6
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Sugarloaf MountainSugarloaf Mountain, Pão de Açúcar in Portuguese, is a granite peak that rises 3917 minutes walk4.8
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