Fodor's Expert Review Fortaleza de Sao Miguel

This massive waterfront fort is so large it once served as a self-contained town. Built in 1575, it was Luanda’s first defensive structure. The Portuguese manned cannons in the thick walls for most of the fort’s history. It was deemed a national monument in 1938, and a year later the Museum of Angola took residence, but in 1961, Portuguese armed forces returned. Today, the fort is a major tourist attraction housing Museu das Forças Armadas. Stroll the top of the walls or around the large courtyard, see grand statues of Portugal’s first king and other significant figures, and follow ceramic tiles that trace Angola’s history.