the island fortress, called
forte tamandaré da laje, was built on
ilha da laje (slab island). the island is in sight of the
city of rio de janeiro and is part of a
large sandbar in the baía da
guanabara (guanabara bay).
its history dates back to the mid
sixteenth century, when it was strategically established at the
bay's entrance as a battery, known as the ratier battery. however,
at the time the structure was not
part of the portuguese coastal defense system.