Spotlight: San Juan, Puerto Rico - El Morro

El Morro (viewed from Castillo San Cristobal)

Spotlight: Castillo San Felipe del Morro was named in honor of King Felipe II of Spain. Soon after the pueblo of Viejo San Juan was established, Spain recognized its strategic position in governing its empire. Not only was San Juan Bay a natural spot to build a harbor, its location at the north-east boundary of the Caribbean Sea provided the perfect place for ships to restock supplies for journeys across the Atlantic. The location of El Morro was chosen to guard the entrance to San Juan Bay from invasion by pirates or foreign nations. Construction on the massive fort began in 1539. The fort was a work in progress, with new features being added over the next 400 years as Spanish & U.S. engineers tried to keep up with new military technologies. Originally, the walls were six feet thick, but were later thickened to 18 feet as cannons became more powerful. When the castle was finally completed in 1787, it boasted six levels, and rose 44 meters above sea level. A smaller fortification, El Cañuelo, was built on the opposite entrance to the bay during the 1630's in order to provide greater protection through a deadly crossfire. The fort was tested several times during its construction by invading armies. In 1595, English pirate Sir Francis Drake attacked with his fleet, but retreated after Spanish gunners shot a cannonball through his cabin. In 1598, Englishman George Clifford succeeded in sacking the city by invading overland instead of trying to enter through the harbor. His troops fled the island after a disastrous dysentery epidemic. The Dutch later emulated Clifford's success and sacked the city, but eventually left after an unsuccessful siege of the fortress. The Dutch attack prompted additional fortifications, including a wall around the entire city. El Morro's final battle occurred in 1898, when U.S. forces attacked the fortress during the Spanish-American War. It soon became obvious that the old stone walls would no longer hold up against modern weaponry. Following the war, the fortress became part of the large U.S. Army post in San Juan known as Fort Brooke. In 1983, El Morro was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in conjunction with San Juan National Historic Site.

 El Cañuelo

Location: El Morro is located at the north-western tip of the island of Old San Juan at the end of Calle Del Morro.

Cost: Entrance to the San Juan National Historic Site (which includes El Morro) is $5.00/person. The ticket is also good for Castle San Cristobal. 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: El Morro is one of the most majestic fortresses in the western hemisphere. One of the first things you notice about the fort are the garitas - sentry boxes that are located along the walls around the perimeter of the fort. They were used by soldiers serving guard duty and have long skinny windows, making it easy to fire out, yet hard to fire inside.
     At the top of El Morro, the lighthouse stands out like a sore thumb - but then, I suppose that's the purpose of lighthouses. In any case, it was rebuilt by the U.S. in 1908 after the old one was destroyed during the bombardment of 1898.
     Three flags are flown over the castle daily - the U.S. flag, the Puerto Rico flag, and the Cross of Burgundy. The Cross of Burgundy flag was the old Spanish military flag that flew over the fortress from 1539-1785.
     The Plaza is located on the main level of El Morro. It's freshly painted walls stand out as a sharp contrast from the old stone walls that characterize the fort. It was used for most daily activities that characterized life at the fort. It is surrounded by various rooms including the barracks, a kitchen, a chapel, and officer quarters.

     The Cannon Water Battery is the platform where most of the cannons guarding the harbor were kept. This deck now offers some of the best views of the fort, the harbor and the ocean. Several old cannons are still found there, as are the tracks used to turn them from one direction to another. This deck also offers visitors the opportunity to climb inside the small tunnels that go through the wall to small lookout positions for snipers.

Water Cannon Battery Deck

wall tunnel

     Spiral and triangular staircases were built to allow easy access from one level to the next. Also of interest is the large ramp used to lower cannons from the main level down to the Cannon Water Battery deck.

     Down in the lower levels, visitors can explore the old kitchen area where meals were prepared for the soldiers. Soot still stains the walls from the cooking fires. This area also houses the old forge used for metalwork.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - Park rangers offer 15-20 min. orientation talks every hour on the hour.
- The 12-minute video "The Fortifications of Old San Juan" is offered every 15 minutes in both English and Spanish. It is well worth the time to watch it.
- If you have young kids, check out the Discovery Center, which has several interactive activities.
- On the third Sunday of every month, costumed Living History demonstrators talk about 18th century life inside the fort and give free cannon and gun firing demonstrations.
- A lighthouse tour is available on weekends at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm.
- Puerto Rico is in the Atlantic Time Zone but does not observe Daylight Savings Time.
- There are no customs duties on items bought in Puerto Rico and brought over to the mainland.
- The Santa Maria Cemetery is one of the most picturesque cemeteries in the world.
- Puerto Rico is a tropical island, so it is usually hot. Wear sun screen and bring water to carry around. When it isn't hot, it is rainy, so also be prepared with an umbrella. Most days will have both heat and rain.
- The park just outside the castle is a popular place to picnic and fly a kite. The consistent wind make it an ideal place for kite enthusiasts to enjoy this hobby. You can find inexpensive kites at many shops around Old San Juan.

Nearby: Cementerio Santa Maria, Casa Blanca, Castillo San Cristobal, Parque Nacional Isla de Cabras