Copacabana Fort

Description:

• Simply massive. Built on the eve of World War I by the German arms-maker Krupp, Copacabana Fort boasts walls of reinforced concrete 12m (39 ft.) thick. They protect a whacking great cannon (305mm) that could fire a deadly shell 23km (14 miles) out to sea. The army has done an excellent job presenting the interior as it was when it was a working bastion. Rooms contain then-state-of-the-art instruments (lots of brass wheels and finely scaled calipers) for targeting and aiming the great guns. And down in the very bowels of the fort the cannons are still in place. Best of all, the bored soldiers guarding the place never leave the gate, so you're free to touch, fiddle, and play as much as you want. Twirl the knobs on the great cannon until its muzzle points toward your hotel, trundle a shell over from the magazine via the overhead conveyer belt, stuff it in, and let fly. (Actually the gun probably doesn't fire, but you can certainly have fun pretending.) Allow about an hour.

  A nuanced evaluation of the army's role in Brazilian history would be a fascinating thing, but you won't find it at the laughable Army History Museum. Army history as told here seems to end around 1960, just 4 years before the army (once again) put an end to democracy.

  Take a Break -- The Café do Forte, located on the seaside ramparts of the Forte de Copacabana, offers some of the best views in town and then some. To further sweeten those views, enjoy a coffee or a snack from the Café do Forte menu. Operated by the Confeitaria Colombo, the cafe offers outstanding pastries, cakes, and sandwiches. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 8pm (tel. 021/2247-8994). To enter you must pay the R$3 (US$1.50/£1) visitor fee at the fort entrance.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010