The Real Felipe Fortress was built to defend the main
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
vian port and the city of
Lima
Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...
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
Peruvians ( es, peruanos) are the citizens of Peru. There were Andean and coastal ancient civilizations like Caral, which inhabited what is now Peruvian territory for several millennia before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century; Peruvian ...
, displaying historical uniforms, weapons and other military paraphernalia.
History
Background
During the
Viceroyalty of Peru
The Viceroyalty of Peru ( es, Virreinato del Perú, links=no) was a Spanish imperial provincial administrative district, created in 1542, that originally contained modern-day Peru and most of the Spanish Empire in South America, governed from ...
,
Callao
Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and Regions of Peru, region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists o ...
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
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
Pedro Álvarez de Toledo y Leiva decreed the construction of the
Walls of Lima
The Walls of Lima were a fortification consisting mainly of walls and bastions whose purpose was to defend the city of Lima from exterior attacks. It was built between 1684 and 1687, during the Viceroy Melchor de Navarra y Rocafull (Duke of Pa ...
between the years 1640 and 1647 to protect the city. However, the
1746 Lima–Callao earthquake
The 1746 Lima–Callao earthquake occurred at on 28 October with a moment magnitude of 8.6–8.8 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (''Extreme''). The epicenter was located about north-northwest of the capital Lima, which was almost complete ...
, destroyed most of the fortifications.
Viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
José Antonio Manso de Velasco
José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ).
In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacul ...
, ordered the contraction of the fortress to bolster the defense of the port.
Construction
In 1746, the design proposal of French architect
Louis Godin
Louis Godin (28 February 1704 – 11 September 1760) was a French astronomer and member of the French Academy of Sciences. He worked in Peru, Spain, Portugal and France.
Biography
Godin was born in Paris; his parents were François Godin and Eli ...
was 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
The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...
, costing about three million
pesetas. Most of the stone came from
San Lorenzo Island and from the ruins caused by the earthquake. The name of the fortress was chosen to honor the Spanish king
Felipe V
Philip V ( es, Felipe; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was King of Spain from 1 November 1700 to 14 January 1724, and again from 6 September 1724 to his death in 1746. His total reign of 45 years is the longest in the history of the Spanish mon ...
from the
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spanis ...
, who had recently died. Construction ended during the reign of viceroy
Manuel de Amat y Junient in 1774.
In 1782, viceroy
Manuel Guirior decided to bolster the defences of the fortress with the construction of two smaller complementary fortresses; the «San Miguel» and the «San Rafael». This system came to be known as «Los Castillos del Callao» (The castles of Callao).
Independence Era
In 1806, viceroy
José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa
José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa, 1st Marquess of Concordia, KOS ( es, José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa, primer Marqués de la Concordia), (sometimes spelled ''Souza'') (June 3, 1743 in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain – June 30, 1821 in Madrid) was a ...
ordered the construction of a storage depot for arms, artillery and water to supply up to 2,000 soldiers for up to four months. On 21 January 1816, Admiral
Guillermo Brown
William Brown (also known in Spanish as Guillermo Brown or ''Almirante'' Brown) (22 June 1777 – 3 March 1857) was an Irish-born Argentine admiral. Brown's successes in the Argentine War of Independence, the Cisplatine War and the Anglo-Frenc ...
blockaded the port of Callao, captured several royalist boats and proceeded to bombard the port. However, they were soon repulsed by the coastal batteries of the fortress.
[Regal, page. 29]
During 16 January 1819, the fortress repulsed an attack from Admiral
Lord Thomas Cochrane during the government of viceroy
Joaquín de la Pezuela
Joaquín or Joaquin is a male given name, the Spanish version of Joachim.
Given name
* Joaquín (footballer, born 1956), Spanish football midfielder
* Joaquín (footballer, born 1981), Spanish football winger
* Joaquín (footballer, born 1982 ...
. This incident forced General
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (25 February 177817 August 1850), known simply as José de San Martín () or '' the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru'', was an Argentine general and the primary leader of the southern and cent ...
to invade Lima from
Pisco
Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. Made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit, it was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternative t ...
. Once the declaration of independence was decreed, General San Martín ordered to siege the fortress. The siege ended in 1821, when royalist General
José de La Mar
José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ).
In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacul ...
surrendered to Republican forces. However, the fortress was captured again by the Spaniards under
Brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...
José Ramón Rodil y Campillo
José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ).
In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacul ...
. Only in 1826, would the fortress return to the republicans after Brigadier Rodil y Campillo surrendered and ended the
Second siege of Callao
The second siege of Callao was the longest lasting siege that occurred on the Pacific coast during the Spanish American wars of independence. The siege was carried out by the combined Gran Colombian and Peruvian independence forces against the ro ...
.
Gallery
Image:PlanoRealFelipe1.jpg, Plan of the Royal Phillip's Castle and Callao seaport
Image:PlanoRealFelipe2.jpg, Plan of the Royal Phillip's Castle
Image:Torreondelrey realfelipe.jpg, King's Tower
Image:Torreondelareina RealFelipe.jpg, Queen's Tower
Image:RealFelipeAduanayPlaza-CourretHermanosFoto1868.JPG, Callao seaport's Custom-House in Royal Phillip's Castle
Image:RealFelipeCallao1880.jpg, Queen's Tower armed with a Vavasseur cannon in 1880
Image:L-Mariani-and-M-Paz-Soldan-Callao-topografico.jpeg , Callao, 1862
References
Bibliography
* ''GUIDE TO PERU'', Handbook for travelers, 6th. Edition, by Gonzalo de Reparaz Ruiz, Ediciones de Arte Rep, Lima – Perú, Book edited in English language by the Fondo de Promoción Turística del Perú – FOPTUR, pages 114–115''.
* Higgins, James (editor). ''The Emancipation of Peru: British Eyewitness Accounts'', 2014. Online at https://sites.google.com/site/jhemanperu
External links
{{Commons category, Real Felipe, Callao
Satellite photo of Real Felipe Fortress
Infrastructure completed in 1774
Forts in Peru
Spanish colonial fortifications
Buildings and structures in Callao Region
Tourist attractions in Callao Region
Museums in Peru
Convention centers in Peru
Piracy in the Pacific Ocean