Te Pare Fort sits on the edge of the makatea, a rare piece of pre-European military architecture in the Cook Islands — and the only known fort in the entire archipelago. The coral-limestone walls, built by the forefathers of Mitiaro and associated with the great warrior Maaro, once stood up to six metres high. They were constructed to provide 360-degree visibility across the flat island, giving defenders early warning of raiders from Atiu.
Reaching the fort takes about twenty minutes on foot across the makatea, the ancient raised coral that rings the island's interior. The terrain is uneven and requires care, but the walk is part of the experience: the makatea landscape is unlike anything else in the Pacific, a jagged coral plateau riddled with caves and fissures. The fort's location, with its commanding views out to sea, is immediately legible even as a ruin. A local guide is essential both for finding the way and for explaining the history.