Guide to the Old San Juan Forts in Puerto Rico
Old San Juan in Puerto Rico is a walled city with forts to protect San Juan from attacks during the Spanish era of the 16th century. It has old buildings, fortresses, and cobblestone roads that attract many tourists. Two of the forts in Old San Juan are UNESCO World Heritage sites and draw a lot of tourists annually.
1. The Fort San Felipe del Morro, or just El Morro, is a fort that lies at the northwestern land of Puerto Rico. It guards the bay of San Juan from attacks by sea.
2. Dome-covered sentry boxes known as garitas line the 18 feet thick walls of the fort. The sentry boxes served as lookout posts for soldiers to keep watch along the fortress walls. It is joined by the Puerto Rican flag and the US Flag which are hoisted over the fort. A map of the fort is available at the entrance. The guide will help you navigate through the tunnels, barracks, ramps and dungeons that make up the six-storey building.
3. While the El Morro protected from attacks from the sea, the Fort San Cristobal protected it from land-based attacks. San Cristobal has five components that are built to be self-sufficient. The Fort San Cristobal has underground tunnels with dungeons, as well as moats.
Maps and guides are available for both forts. However, guided tours are available for both tourist attractions for a fee. If you wish to avail of one, they are available office hours on weekdays and weekends except on holidays.
