Fortaleza de São Pedro da Barra

The Fortress of São Pedro da Barra guarded the northern approaches to Luanda's bay, one of several Portuguese fortifications built to defend the colonial capital and its trade. Its stone bastions later served as a prison, including for opponents of colonial rule, giving it a grim place in the country's political history. Standing near the tip of the Ilha and the harbour entrance, the fort forms part of the network of defences that protected the city over the centuries. It is a heritage site interpreting Luanda's military and colonial past.