Before the end of the year, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States in the Treaty of Paris. This ill-fated move engaged Puerto Rico into the Spanish-American War. The second was 101 years later when their cannons fired against the USS Yale. The first was in 1797 when a British onslaught was repelled. Fort San Cristóbal was constructed from 1765 until 1783, a remarkably short time for such a huge undertaking. This formidable defense spanned 27 acres of Old San Juan. The largest was Castillo San Cristóbal (Saint Christopher Fort). El Morro, Calle del Morro, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map DirectionsĢ2 Castillo San Cristóbal in San Juan, Puerto Ricoĭuring the 16th through the 18th centuries, the Spanish built countless fortresses in the Caribbean and South America. Army moved out in 1961, El Morro was turned over to the U.S. In 1915, the first shot by the United States in World War I was fired from El Morro on a German ship. El Morro was attacked by the buccaneer Sir Frances Drake in 1595, by George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, three years later, the Dutch in 1625, the British in 1797 and the American Navy in 1898. It proved worthy of these accolades several times. By the late 1780s, El Morro was called a Defense of the First Order and was one of the best fortifications in the Americas. Additional enhancements were made under King Felipe IV in the mid-17th century and King Charles III one hundred years later. In English, it means the Castle of Saint Philip on the Headland. The citadel was named Castillo San Felipe del Morro in honor of the king. Antonelli was the chief architect of Spanish forts throughout the New World. In 1587, his son, Philip II of Spain, commissioned Battista Antonelli to design an elaborate expansion. The initial fort was small and ill-equipped. In 1539, King Charles I of Spain ordered the construction of a defense for Puerto Rico de San Juan Bautista. N o w may be the time to reassess, with this comprehensive breakdown of travel credit card options.17 History of El Morrow in San Juan, Puerto RicoĪfter walking across a large, treeless hill called the Field of Fire, over a drawbridge and beneath a Spanish coat of arms, you step into nearly five hundred years of history. However, there are many people with rewards that took a fair amount of effort and time to earn-whether through a credit card (that likely has a steep annual fee) or loyalty program membership.
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L osing the opportunity of a free hotel room or flight upgrade isn’t the worst problem to have right now. Given the uncertainty around future travel, globetrotters (myself included!) might not use our travel credit card benefits at all this year. With a myriad of historical sites and rich architecture, it’s a perfect way to spend the day. Old San Juan is a perfect place for a self-guided walking tour. What did you think of the stunning architecture? Did you marvel at the 15-foot thick gate? Were you able to explore one of the incredible forts? They’re reasons enough for exploring this city and embarking on a self-guided walking tour of Old San Juan. We hope you enjoyed wandering the blue cobblestone streets with perhaps a piragua in hand. The self-guided walking tour of Old San Juan has come to an end.
In the dungeon, you can see some of the prisoner drawings on the walls. Connected by tunnels, if one part is invaded, each unit is self-sufficient. It should be noted that this fort is brilliantly constructed with a number of different units. If you wish to visit Fort de San Cristobal, follow these directions from the Parque Las Palomas.