After the English invasions (June to August 1806 and February to September 1807) and with the possibility of another attempt to take the city of Montevideo, Spanish Governor Elío mandated the construction of a fort to defend the city and to protect the recently established lighthouse.

Construction began in 1809 in times of political uncertainty in Europe and in their respective colonies in America. Nearly half a century earlier, at the hands of Don Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, plans for a fort had already been made. With the port of Montevideo already of vital importance, in 1744, the Viceroy of Peru, José Antonio Mendoza Camaño y Sotomayor, stated the urgency of building a fort on the hill and there are documents that prove that it was common to set up watchtowers on the hill to provide warnings for imminent attacks.

The fort, designed by military engineer José del Pozo, was completed in 1811, during the government of Francisco Javier de Elío. Several battles took place at the fort. It was damaged, rebuilt, occupied by foreign armies and was renamed Fortaleza General Artigas in 1882. The last significant restoration took place in 1930, a year before being named a national historical monument. In 1939, the fort was converted into a military museum. Currently, it is one of the Montevideo’s most visited sites.

(http://www.wikipedia.org)