The palisade
Sharpened logs.
Magallanes1 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Maga Villalon — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Maga Villalon — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Farisori — CC BY-SA 3.0
A wooden fort on a rocky hill over the Strait of Magellan, founded by a Chilean expedition in 1843 to assert the country's sovereignty over the strait and named after President Manuel Bulnes. The settlers did not last long here, beaten by cold, wind and scarce water, and moved north after a few years to found Punta Arenas. The present fort is a careful reconstruction from the 1940s: a palisade of sharpened logs, small wooden houses, a little chapel, a powder store and cannons facing the water. The visitor centre tells the settlement's story and tales of ships and explorers in the strait. The site is part of the Strait of Magellan Park, which also holds the remains of Puerto del Hambre, a sixteenth-century Spanish settlement, a monument marking Chile's geographic centre, and coastal and forest trails with views over the strait and Tierra del Fuego. The road from Punta Arenas is a lovely coastal drive, so stop at the lookouts along the way. Patagonian wind is fierce and changeable, and conditions can turn within an hour, so dress in layers with a wind- and rain-proof jacket.
Sharpened logs.
A Spanish settlement.
Tierra del Fuego.
Strait of Magellan Park, about 62 km south of Punta Arenas
The present fort is a 1940s reconstruction of the 1843 settlement, recreating the early settlers' life.