the fortaleza de santa cruz, with its 450 years of history, is an impeccable example of colonial-brazilian military architecture, was specifically highlighted by unesco in its classification of rio de janeiro as a world heritage site. with a very majestic structure and complex architecture, the fortaleza covers an area of about 7,200 square meters, all built with manually cut stones.

the fort has a collection of of 55 cannons from the eighteenth and the nineteenth century, along with a chapel built in 1612, with an eighteenth century picture of santa bárbara.