Real Felipe Fortress
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Frontal view of the Real Felipe Fortress
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| Location | Central part of the bay of  Callao,  Peru
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| Coordinates | 12°3′46″S 77°8′57″W / 12.06278°S 77.14917°WCoordinates: 12°3′46″S 77°8′57″W / 12.06278°S 77.14917°W |
| Area | 70,000 m² |
| Built | 1747–1774 and 1776–1811 |
| Governing body | Peru's Army |
| Designated | 19 May 1952 |
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The Real Felipe Fortress was built to defend the main Peruvian port and the city of Lima from pirates and corsairs during colonial times. The fortress was pivotal in the 1866 naval battle between a Spanish fleet sent to South America to "reclaim" its colonies and land batteries in the coast of Peru. The Real Felipe Fortress is currently the Peruvian Army Museum, displaying historical uniforms, weapons and other military paraphernalia.
During the Viceroyalty of Peru, Callao was the main port of the Americas, it connected the colonies with Spain.Due to the lack of adequate defenses, several pirate incursions took place. In an attempt to protect the port, the viceroy Pedro Álvarez de Toledo y Leiva decreed the construction of Walls of Lima between the years 1640 and 1647 to protect the city. However, the 1746 Lima–Callao earthquake, destroyed most of the fortifications. Viceroy José Antonio Manso de Velasco, orders the contraction of the fortress to bolster the defense of the port.
In 1746, the design proposal of French architect Louis Godin is selected as the design of the fortress. Construction of the fortress began on 21 January 1747 and the first stone was erected 1 August of the same year. This was considered one of the most important constructions made by Spain in the New World, costing about three million pesetas. Most of the stone came from the San Lorenzo Island and from the ruins caused by the earthquake. The name was chosen to honour the Spanish king Felipe V from the House of Bourbon, which had recently died. Construction ended during the reign of viceroy Manuel de Amat y Junient in 1774.
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