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On a small hill just outside of the historic town of Paraty sits Fort Perpetual Defender (Forte Defensor Perpétuo), the site of a 19th century fort. The road to the fort is a dirt path that’s a short, pleasant walk through a forest. The walk to the fort provides decent views of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Paraty.
The Fort
Once I reached the fort, it was disappointing. There’s not much left of a fort at all. Anyway, the fort was built in 1793 to protect shipments of gold as well as sugar cane plantations. It was rebuilt in 1822 and named after Dom Pedro I, Emperor and Perpetual Defender of Brazil.
There’s a building that houses a small museum that I didn’t visit and a few cannons perched on what’s left of a defensive wall. The cannons were made by the British and used between 1730 and 1860.
The best part of being at the fort were the views of the bay. I also got a good laugh at the signs warning of accidents with oysters. I’m sure it’s dangerous when someone falls, but that’s the first time I’ve ever seen an oyster warning sign.
