King Philippe Fortress - ( Spanish: Fortaleza del Real Felipe ) - a fortress in the port of Callao , built to protect the port of Callao and the capital of the vice-kingdom of Peru, the city of Lima from attacks by pirates and corsairs. Currently, the Museum of the Peruvian Armed Forces .
The city of Lima was originally surrounded by a wall for protection, but it was destroyed after an earthquake in 1746, prompting the Viceroy of Peru to begin building a fortress to protect the capital and main port of Callao . The name of the fortress was in honor of the Spanish king Philip V. The design of the fortress was developed by the French architect and mathematician Louis Gaudens . Construction began on January 21, 1747 and continued until 1774 . According to some historians, the fortress is one of the largest fortifications built by Spain .
After construction, the fortress for forty years did not participate in any active hostilities. In the War of Independence of Peru, the fortress was used as a support center for Spanish troops. The fortress remained in the hands of the Spaniards for another fourteen months after the battle of Ayacucho , and was the last fortification in Latin America left by the royalists.