Fortaleza do Monte or Fortress of Our Lady of the Mount of St Paul was built by the Jesuits from 1617 to 1626, and this was Macao’s principal military defence structure and was crucial in successfully holding off the attempted Dutch invasion of the city in 1622. It was built on top of Mount Hill, strategically located in the centre of Macao Peninsula, watching over the city in all directions.
In 1965 a weather observatory was installed at the site and the fortress was demilitarised in 1976. In 1998 the Macao Museum was installed at the site and has remained there since.
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