Editing Paraty (section)

=== Forts ===
There are two [[Colonialism|colonial]] [[forts]] in Paraty: Forte Defensor and Forte Patitiba.

==== Forte Defensor ====
Forte Defensor was built in 1703 and outfitted with six cannons for the protection of the city's important commercial warehouses. With the aforementioned economic decline of the region, it was in ruins until 1822, when it was reconstructed and dedicated to Emperor [[Dom Pedro I]]. Some historians believe that it was at the fort that the first nucleus of the town began, in that the area around the fort is still referred to as the "Old Village."

Ruins of the old defensive stone walls together with the cannons can still be seen today. It is also home to a powder house for storing explosives – one of the few still existing in Brazil. Forte Defensor is one of seven fortifications that were built around the harbor of Paraty, two of them being in the city. All of the others that were constructed outside the city are now only ruins.

<gallery>
Image:Paraty_fort.jpg|Forte Defensor
Image:Paraty_cannons.jpg| Cannons at Forte Defensor
</gallery>

==== Forte Patitiba [Cadeia Antiga] ====
[[File:Paraty_Biblioteca.jpg|thumb|Forte Patitiba]]

What is left of this fort, also known as ''Cadeia Antiga'' (the Old Jail), is a smallish structure which for a while was also used as a prison. It is found in the plaza of Santa Rita, next to the church of same name. Constructed in the beginning of the 18th century, the building was part of a larger Forte Patitiba, the other blockhouse built in the city for defense of the harbor. In the 19th century it was decommissioned and today it houses the local public library.

There are also many colorful colonial houses (refurbished in most cases), many of which have been transformed into shops, ''pousadas'' (Brazilian bed-and-breakfasts), restaurants and bars.