El Morro

I’m on my first visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Today we visited Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro), a fort originally built by the Spanish to guard the entrance to San Juan Bay. The original foundation was laid in 1539, and it was modified and enlarged over 250 years. The United States then added to it during World War II. Finding out that a fort this old was modified and used during WWII surprised me. I was born long after WWII, so I forget that our military has advanced a great deal in terms of technology used since then. The fort is impressive. It has six different levels and is incredibly well built. I am impressed with those people who built it with the amount of stone and brick that must have been laid.  Currently it is maintained by the National Park Service and guarded by iguanas, who by the way like to have their photos taken.

Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro)

Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro)

Garita

Garita

Main level

Main level with lighthouse

Triangular staircase

Triangular staircase

View of the entrance to the bay

View of the entrance to the bay

El Morro

El Morro

Foundation for artillery

Foundation for artillery

Stairs connecting levels 3, 4, and 5

Stairs connecting levels 3, 4, and 5

Staircase from level 1 (ocean front) to level 2

Tunnel staircase from level 1 (ocean front) to level 2

Series of doorways

Series of doorways

Ramp from level 4 to 5

Ramp from level 4 to 5

Land side of El Morro

Land side of El Morro

Ocean side of El Morro

Ocean side of El Morro

 

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