Dagu Fort (Dagu paotai), erected on the southern bank of the Hai River, is 60 kilometers southeast of the city proper. Originally there were forts on both sides of the river built in the sixteenth century, but in 1901, the one on the northern bank was ordered to be dismantled. The current one was first built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) and underwent several renovations in the Qing Period (1644-1911 AD). However, despite all the efforts the feudal emperors made to protect the city from invasion, the formidable-looking stronghold was not overly successful; the Europeans overrun the city with ease in the nineteenth century, doing further havoc to the capital and razing the Yuanmingyuan Garden to the ground.

Today the Dagu Fort is an interesting travel sight for a day trip, about 50km, from the city proper in a town called Tanggu.

How to get to Dagu Fort:The fort is located in the Tanggu Development Zone, a harbour 40km east of Tianjin. From the Tianjin Railway Station buses to Tanggu are available every 30 minutes. After arriving at Tanggu, the only proper way to get to the fort is taking a taxi, this costs around RMB20
Cost:RMB10