built in 1914 to safeguard rio de janeiro from naval attacks the copacabana fort is located at the south end of the beach in the city's zona sul (south zone).

the fort is mostly constructed from reinforced concrete and in some places the exterior walls are 12 meters thick, which are able to support huge cannons that were once able to project shells over 15 miles out to sea.

the fort is steeped in history and as a result a museum has been opened inside. exhibits, artifacts, and other curious objects are on show within, detailing the colonial era right through to the middle of the 19th century.