Forte Real de São Filipe is a 16th century fortress in the city of Cidade Velha in the south of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde.

The historic centre of Cidade Velha is an UNESCO World Heritage Site since June 2009.

[2] The fortress was built under Philip I of Portugal between 1587 and 1593, little after Sir Francis Drake's 1585 raid of Santiago.

The Forte Real de São Filipe was built from stone imported from Portugal.

Inside the fortress were military storage facilities, a brick cistern, the residence of the Governor, the garrison, the prison and the chapel of São Gonçalo.