| Fort Copacabana | |
|---|---|
Forte Copacabana | |
| Rio de Janeiro,Rio de Janeiro in Brazil | |
 Aerial view of the fort in 2023 | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Fort |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Good |
| Location | |
  Fort Copacabana Location of Fort Copacabana in Brazil | |
| Coordinates | 22°59′9″S43°11′7″W / 22.98583°S 43.18528°W /-22.98583; -43.18528 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1908 (1908)–1914 |
Fort Copacabana (Portuguese:Forte de Copacabana,IPA:[ˈfɔʁtʃidʒiˌkɔpakaˈbɐnɐ]) is a military base at the south end of the beach that defines the district ofCopacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The base is open to the public and contains theMuseu Histórico do Exército (Army Historical Museum) and a coastal defense fort that is the actual Fort Copacabana.[1]
The fort is built on a headland that originally contained a small chapel holding a replica of theVirgen de Copacabana, thepatron saint ofBolivia. In 1908 the Brazilian army started to build a modern coastal defense fort on the headland to protect both the beach of Copacabana and the entrance to the harbour ofRio de Janeiro. The fort, completed in 1914, consists of two armoured cupolas, one holding a pair of 305 mm (12 in)Krupp cannons, and the other a pair of 190 mm (7+1⁄2 in) Krupp cannons.
The name of the turret with the 305mm guns is "Duque de Caxias", and the guns are named "Barroso" and "Osório". This cupola is behind and above the one holding the 190 mm guns so that it can fire over them. The 305 mm Krupp guns could fire a shell of some 445 kg (981 lb) up to a distance of 23 km (14 mi). The cupola with the 190 mm guns is named "André Vidal". These guns could fire from 200 m (220 yd) to 18.2 km (11.3 mi).[Note 1]
The fort also has two small retractable casements on the flanks, each holding a 75 mm (3 in) quick-firing gun with a 180° traverse and a range of 7 km (4.3 mi). Unlike the largeKrupp guns, these 75 mm guns are no longer in place. The north casement is named "Antônio João" and the south casement is named "Ricardo Franco".[Note 2]
On 5 July 1922, the fort was the centre point of the18 of the Copacabana Fort revolt. It was the first revolt of thetenentista movement, in the context of the BrazilianOld Republic. The rebellious officers turned the fort's guns on Rio de Janeiro. To suppress the revolt, the government brought the battleshipsSão Paulo andMinas Geraes. On 6 JulySão Paulo bombarded the fort, firing five salvos and obtaining at least two hits; the fort surrendered half an hour later.[2]Minas Geraes did not fire.
Brazil disbanded its coastal defense artillery branch in 1987. At that time the military deactivated the fort, at least as far as its role as a coastal artillery post was concerned. Except for the cupola at the fort onSan Paolo Island outside the harbour ofTaranto, the cupolas of Copacabana fort, together with other cupolas at nearby Fort Lage (Fort of Laje [pt]: 2 × 240 mm, 2 × 150 mm, and 2 × 2 × 75 mm) and Fort Imbui (Fort D. Pedro II do Imbuí [pt]: 2 × 280 mm L/40 and 2 × 2 × 75 mm L/25 Krupp guns), are the only remaining heavy fortress cupolas of the Krupp design in the world.
The hours for the Museum are 10 am to 6 pm and the fort are 10 am to 8 pm, Tuesday to Sunday and holidays. Admission for adults isR$6 per adult; there are discounts and free tours for the elderly and children. At the entrance to the base there is a guard in the uniform that was current when the fort was opened in 1914.
The museum has several exhibits focusing on different periods and events in the history of the army in Brazil. TheBrazilian Expeditionary Force's participation in the Italian campaign in World War II gets only limited treatment, andBrazil's involvement in World War I receives no treatment.
Outside the museum there are several artillery pieces from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For instance, one field piece is a 5-barrel quick-firing gun, each barrel being of37 mm (1+1⁄2 in). Brazil purchased thisHotchkiss revolving cannon in 1876. Another field piece is a British-madeVickers-ArmstrongMark XIX 6-inch (152.4 mm) gun, made in 1918. Brazil purchased this piece in 1940 for use in coastal defense. There are also three 75 mm (3 in)Schneider M1919mountain guns.
For the2016 Summer Olympics, the fort hosted thecycling road race (start and finish),marathon swimming andtriathlon events.[3][4]
| Barra Cluster | .jpg) | |
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| Copacabana Cluster | ||
| Deodoro Cluster | ||
| Maracanã-Engenho de Dentro Cluster | ||
| Football stadia | ||
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