the fortress also accommodated the casa do trem in 1762, where arms and ammunition were stored, known as the 'trem do artilharia,'or the ammunition train. furthermore, it was also the site of the arsenal of the rio de janeiro war in 1764. at the time, the fort was considered the prime defense system of the city, boasting as many as 20 cannons by 1720, and it was one of the largest fortresses in rio.

in the mid 20th century, the governor carlos sampaio (1920-1922) made the decision to commemorated the centennial of brazil's independence. as such, castelo hill was cleared of its vegetation, and the area was urbanized to transform the former fortress into the site of the 'exposição internacional comemorativa do centenário da independência do brasil,'or the international industrial exhibit.