Puerto Rico Travel Guide: Old San Juan Forts: El Morro & San
CristobalThe word itself
sounds powerful and this six-level fortress certainly was. Rising 140 feet above the sea,
its 18-foot-thick walls proved a formidable defense. It fell only once, in 1592, to a land
assault by the Earl of Cumberland's forces. The fort is a maze of tunnels, dungeons,
barracks, outposts and ramps.
Old San Juan -- El Morro aerial view from the north
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Completed in 1771 and reworked in 1783, the San
Cristobal Fort was El Morro's partner in the city's defense. It rises 150 feet, covering
27 acres of land. As if its size and height were not sufficient to intimidate enemies, its
intricate modular design was sure to foil them. A strategic masterpiece, it features five
independent units, each connected by meal and runnel: each fully self-sufficient should
the others fail. Open daily, it's a World Heritage and National Historic Site.
Construction of the massive City
Wall surrounding Old San Juan was begun in the 1630's. Two forty-two-foot-high parallel walls
were built of solid sandstone blocks, held together by mortar, limestone, sand and water,
and the space between was filled with sand. The designers slanted the wall's exterior face
to maximize protection, so its width varies from 20 feel at tile base to 12 at the top.
Old San Juan -- La Fortaleza near The San Juan Gate
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The San Juan Gate, dating back to 1520, is the
only remaining gate to the city wall. The heavy wooden gate was closed nightly to seal the
city against invaders.
Completed by 1540, La Fortaleza was a defense
against Carib Indians. It soon lost its military value. however, and spent centuries as an
executive mansion. While the tower and gate date back to 1540, most of the architecture
wits built in the 1800's. The beautiful chapel with its delicate mosaic tiles actually did
double-duty its a storeroom for gold bullion. Recently designated a World Heritage Site.
La Fortaleza offers guided tours in English and Spanish from 9-l lam and I-4pm. Monday
through Friday (excluding holidays).
El Arsenal was built in 1800 and became the last
bit of tierra espanola in Puerto Rico. After the Spanish-American War in 1898, the
US Peace Commission arranged for Spanish soldiers to await their evacuation from here.
Exhibitions are presented in the building's three galleries.
