Spotlight: Puerto Rico - Castillo San Cristobal

Spotlight: Castillo San Cristobal is the largest fortification built by the Spanish in the New World. It was built after the Dutch sacked Viejo San Juan by attacking by land, and thus avoiding the dangerous guns of El Morro. A small fortification was built on the hill in 1634, but the bulk of the fort was built from 1765-1783. Walls were also built around the entire city, with a set of double gates at the castle sealing the entrance into the city. The fort's defenses were tested, and performed admirably, during an invasion by English forces, under Sir Ralph Abercrombe, in 1797. In 1855, a mutiny by the San Cristobal artillery brigade against the Spanish crown caused wide-spread panic in the city when the fort's cannons were aimed at the city; but the rebellion was quelled the next day. During WWII, the U.S. added a massive concrete bunker to the top of the fort to direct a number of coastal artillery sites and keep watch for German submarines. In 1949, San Cristobal was given protective status as part of the newly created San Juan National Historic Site.

20th century bunker

Location: Castillo San Cristobal is located on the north-central portion of the island of Old San Juan, just north of Avenida Luis Munoz Rivera.

Cost: Entrance to the San Juan National Historic Site (which includes San Cristobal) is $5.00/person. The ticket is also good for El Morro. Children 15 and under are free. Parking is $2/hour.

Time: Open from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Give yourself 2-4 hours to explore the fortress.

una garita

Description: You might think that if you visit El Morro, there is no need to visit Castillo San Cristobal. After all, if you are standing in the ramparts of one, you can see the other just down the coast. And although they were built using similar materials and in a similar style, they have some unique differences. If you enjoy castles and forts, it is definitely worth your time to visit both - especially since it doesn't cost anything extra if you visit the other within a week of purchase.
     Like El Morro, Castillo San Cristobal is famous for its garitas (sentry boxes). Yet, San Cristobal boasts the most famous garita - La Garita del Diablo. Legend has it that soldiers in this isolated sentry box down at the ocean's edge would sometimes just vanish into thin air - taken by the Devil himself. More likely, they took advantage of the opportunity to escape the army.

Devil's Sentry Post

     San Cristobal also has an intricate tunnel system. Several of these tunnels were rigged with explosives so that they could be blown up if invaded by enemy troops. You can explore a portion of the tunnels, including a dungeon where an unknown artist prisoner drew some sketches of boats.

tunnels

dungeon cell

Dungeon art

     Santa Barbara chapel is located in the fort's central plaza. Santa Barbara was the patron saint of any person in danger of fire or explosion. The fort's cannoneers would often pray to her before manning their guns.

     San Cristobal has an impressive stack of real cannonballs that weigh 200 pounds each.

     The barracks have been staged to appear as they would have when the fort was in use. You will be amazed at how little privacy and space they had. Also, as you gaze at their woolen uniforms, amid the tropical heat, you'll be grateful for your lightweight T-shirt and shorts.

     The outworks of the fort are fun to explore. They include several layers of defense, including walls and moats followed by grass lawns that made invaders easy targets for Spanish sharpshooters.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - Bring water, sunscreen, and comfortable walking shoes.
- Castillo San Cristobal was used in the filming of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean.
- A short film about the construction and battles of the forts is shown every 15 minutes (alternately in English and Spanish). Ranger tours are also offered every hour.
- The old wooden shutters bear some graffiti that dates back to the 1800's - sketches of ships, dates, and words.
- Special tours are given weekly on unique areas of the fort. You must sign up for them at the dest ahead of time, and they have a limited number of  spaces. They include: The Tunnel Tour (Sat. 10:30 am in English; Sun. 10:30 am in Spanish), the Outworks Tour (Sun. 2:30 pm English; Sat. 2:30 pm Spanish), and the Lantern Light Tour (Tues. 6:00 pm English; Sun. 6:00 pm Spanish).
- Make sure you check out the great views of the city, including the Capitol Building from the eastern wall.

Nearby: Casa de Espana, Casa Olimpica, El Capitolio, Catedral San Juan Bautista