3 Best Sights in Angola

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.

Since Angola gained its independence, leaders have worked to preserve and present its native culture. The Museum Nacional de Antropologia, established in 1976, highlights the country’s various peoples. The more than 6,000-piece collection showcases agriculture, pottery, musical instruments, religious objects, women’s rights memorabilia, and more. See the chairs of chiefs, a rustic furnace for melting iron, fishing baskets, and ceremonial garb.

History detectives who seek out this big yellow "Iron Palace" are rewarded with lots of mystery—mainly whether it was designed by Gustave Eiffel, creator of Paris's world-famous Eiffel Tower. No official records exist. Historians think the palace was pre-constructed in the 1890s in France then shipped by boat to Madagascar, then intercepted by the Portuguese, who nabbed the palace and put it in Luanda. More recently, it served as an art center, then was damaged during the Angolan Civil War and fell into disrepair. Restoration, including reclaimed iron balustrades and floor tiles, began in 2009.