it was originally called the forte do vigia (fort of the watch), since its purpose
was to observe the sea traffic on the
baía da guanabara
(guanabara bay). the
fort however, was popularly known as the
forte do espia
(fort of the spy). during this period it protected the city of rio de janeiro from invasion
on several occasions.
approximately one hundred years later it
was renamed the forte
do leme, after the neighborhood where it is
located. in 1935, president
getúlio vargas renamed it the
forte duque de
caxias, its present, official name.