Nanwan Fort, Pinghu, Zhejiang

Nanwan Fort faces south, with mountains behind and the sea in front. It is located on high ground and is very imposing. The fort was built in 1894, during the 20th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. The two remaining forts were built using a mixture of glutinous rice, alum, lime, and sand. They cover an area of 207 square meters, and the remaining height of the forts is 4.15 and 4.45 meters. The large iron cannon in the middle was built in 1888 by the Jiangnan Arsenal (the predecessor of Jiangnan Shipyard) founded by Li Hongzhang. It was the most advanced Armstrong technology of the time. The iron cannon weighs about 16.7 tons in total, and the barrel can be adjusted to an angle of 20–35 degrees. The barrel is 460 cm long, and the breech has a door structure that can be opened and closed. The base below can rotate 360 degrees. The weight and size of the iron cannon are the largest of any ancient cannon. Two of these cannons were cast, but only one remains intact. Apart from the surface of the fort being weathered and eroded and some parts of the iron cannon being damaged, it is basically intact and is known as the "Number One Cannon in the World." It is a national key cultural relic protection unit.