Fuerte Bulnes is a

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

located by the Strait of Magellan, 62 km south of

Punta Arenas Punta Arenas (, historically known as Sandy Point in English) is the capital List of cities in Chile, city of Chile's southernmost Regions of Chile, region, Magallanes Region, Magallanes and Antarctica Chilena. Although officially renamed as ...

. It was founded in 1843 on a rocky hill at Punta Santa Ana, and named after President Manuel Bulnes Prieto. The fort was built to further the president's colonization policies in Southern Chile and protect the Strait of Magellan. He directed construction to ward off claims by other nations. Chiloé's intendant (governor), Domingo Espiñeira Riesco, ordered construction of a

schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...

to sail to that location. He originally commissioned it in the president's name, but Bulnes had the ship renamed '' Ancud'', for where it was built. She sailed from Ancud on May 22, 1843, under command of John Williams Wilson, a British-born Chilean Navy officer. ''Ancud'' arrived at Punta Santa Ana on September 21, 1843, about 2 km from Puerto del Hambre. Williams directed the construction of a fort here, using mainly logs and dirt and grass 'bricks'. Although the president wanted to establish a town, the harsh weather prevented attracting a large and stable population. As a result, after six years, the local governor founded

in the Sandy Point area in 1848. Once people had migrated there, military forces abandoned and destroyed the fort. Lieutenant Cambiazo supervised its burning. Between 1941 and 1943, the government directed the fort to be reconstructed as a historic monument. The replica includes the church, chaplain's quarters, jail, powder magazine, post office and stables. It was declared a

national monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a sp ...

in 1968. Today, it is administered by a private company.

References

Francisco Solano Asta-Buruaga y Cienfuegos, Diccionario geográfico de la República de Chile, Nueva York: D. Appleton y Compania, 1899, pg. 582 "Puerto del Hambre"
* 19th-century fortifications in Chile Buildings and structures in Magallanes Region Populated places established in 1843 Strait of Magellan Tourist attractions in Magallanes Region National Monuments of Chile 1843 establishments in Chile Coastal fortifications in Chile Brunswick Peninsula {{chile-mil-stub