Overview

Hype:

Castillo San Felipe del Morro (English: Promontory Castle of Saint Philip), most commonly known as El Morro (The Promontory), is a large fortress and citadel in the historic district of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Commissioned by King Charles I of Spain in 1539, it was first built as a fortified tower in honor of King Philip II, who oversaw its expansion into a hornwork fort by 1595. Over the next 200 years, especially in the reign of King Charles III, El Morro continued to be developed to reach its current form in 1787. Rising 140 ft from the Atlantic shoreline with 18 to 25 ft thick walls, the six-leveled edifice stands on a steep, rocky headland promontory on San Juan Islet guarding the entry to San Juan Bay, the harbor of Old San Juan. El Morro, alongside La Fortaleza, San Cristóbal, El Cañuelo, and other forts part of the Walls of Old San Juan, protected strategically and militarily important Puerto Rico from invasion by competing world powers during the Age of Sail. It was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983.

Time:

Fees: Park Admission

Recommended Ages:

	0-3
	4-11
	12-19
	20-49
	50-69
	70+

Recommended Months to Visit:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Links: https://www.nps.gov/saju/learn/historyculture/el-morro.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_San_Felipe_del_Morro

Location

Closest City or Region: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Coordinates: 18.470628, -66.123920

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March 30, 2024 Trip Report

By Jeremy Dye

Trip Members

Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Madilyn Dye,

Story

We spent a couple hours touring the castle. There were so many levels and stairways that we got confused about which places we had and hadn't visited.

Pictures