The history of Morro de San Juan in Puerto Rico

If you look towards the top of the old San Juan you can find the Fort of San Felipe del Morro, which was also known as El Morro. This construction belongs to nothing less than the XNUMXth century and was built to protect the city from the attacks of the sea., attacks that were very frequent at the time to conquer lands and loot the populations.

This fort has become one of the most representative elements of the ancient city and has survived to this day. It was one of the most popular monuments even in the times of the Spanish colonies and now the same fortress can be found on a rocky island and is easily seen because it sticks out. It was built in 1539 and it was just a simple tower, with a design that was modified several decades later, in 1587 at the hands of Juan de Tejada and Juan Bautista Antonelli to turn it into an incredible Spanish military fortification established at the time and that was respected by all.

A little history of Morro de San Juan in Puerto Rico

As I have just told you, the history of the Morro de San Juan in Puerto Rico begins in 1539 with the establishment of the Spanish, but it will take almost half a century for it to be fully functional and to be able to perform the function of a fort.

It received its name thanks to King Felipe II of Spain who put it on it and it was designed with minor differences from other fortifications that were later found in other lands such as the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and even in Acapulco that also had similar fortresses to be able to defend themselves from the enemies that came to their lands by sea.

After more than 400 years since all history began, this fort-turned-fortress has had many adventures within its walls., but this has forced its initial structure to be modified. El Morro is now a World Heritage Site and covers no less than 70 hectares of the northwestern peak of San Juan.

The foreign attacks that El Morro suffered and that are also part of the history, are known more as a legend of the fortress, although there are writings that confirm its history and everything that the fortress has passed through. The city has depended on its evolution on both the English and the Dutch over the years in its history and that is why it has so much weight. Now there is a large museum inside, whose function is to detail the battles that took place on the shores of San Juan so that all tourists who want to know them can know them.

The last time the fortress had major adventures and action was during the naval bombardment of 1898 in the war between Spain and America. After some events with the United States, Puerto Rico received some repairs to its walls and the history of El Morro could begin to enjoy moments of peace and tranquility.

Nowadays, El Morro is a place very visited by tourists, so if you want to travel there, do not hesitate, because you will be able to learn new things about its history and the battles, and in addition, you will also be able to obtain excellent photographs thanks to the wonderful views you can find.

The fortress today

If you want to visit the fortress, you should know that it has a cost of three dollars and five dollars if you buy a ticket that also includes the Fort of San Cristóbal. If you have children under 15 years of age to accompany you, they will be able to enjoy the visit to the fort converted into a museum for free.

It is really worth paying the money to enter since they have many interesting elements exposed, you can also walk inside and outside the fortress, so you must make sure that you have enough drink to hydrate yourself on your excursion. There is a gift shop that also sells bottles of water, but since you know that visitors can be thirsty, they are a bit expensive.

Once inside the fortress they will show you a short video about the history of the fortress so that you position yourself and you will see the importance of construction and how it was important in all battles. The video is shown in English and lasts an hour and a half, but it is also shown in Spanish later. You can also find out about the workers of the now museum if you have any doubts. If you don't want to see the video then you can grab a map and explore everything it has to show you this magnificent fortification.

How is the fortification

First you can find the Main Square of El Morro which was the area where troops gathered for parades and daily inspection. The well in the center of the square is also a nice place and it can take a year to fill with rainwater. The surrounding rooms face to the sides and were used as dwellings, storage tanks, deposits for gunpowder, for cells or for firing positions ... without a doubt these places of the fortification had a lot of life. There was also a chapel.

On the upper level to the west of the Main Plaza is the ramp that leads to the upper floor, There you will find the air vents that provide fresh air to the rooms below. You can take incredible photos from this area of ​​the fortress. On the upper level you can also find the lighthouse that was rebuilt in 1908.

From the upper level you will have excellent views of the San Juan cemetery, to the east and west across the bay you will see the remains of the fortress of San Juan de la Cruz.

Then if you want to reach the lowest levels you will have to go back to the Main Square and reach these lower levels thanks to the staircase or ramp that is just in front of the entrance of El Morro or taking the triangular staircase to the east of the main square. In this lower area was where the fortress cannons were.

If you want to know more about everything that awaits you when visiting this fortress, you will only have to prepare a trip to see it!