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El Morro, San Juan
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El Morro, San Juan

Grounds of
Grounds of "El Morro"
by Gypsystravels
El Morro tips and photos posted by real travelers and San Juan locals.
• 101 Photos
• 41 Reviews

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San Juan El Morro Reviews 1 - 10 of 41  
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El Morro: Fascinating, Pyramid of Cannonballs, Great views
  • Tip Rating:
    • jumpingnorman
  • By jumpingnorman on June 17, 2009
  • San Juan Page by jumpingnorman
    • Twins on Cannonball of El Morro, Puerto Rico - San Juan
    Twins on Cannonball of El
    Morro, Puerto Rico
    by jumpingnorman,
    4 more photos
    This is the fort that we have seen before in travel documentaries and so I wanted my family to have a picture at one of those nice towers – I also wanted the twins to go around the many corners of the turrets.

    We decided to go down at Old San Juan near the entrance of the fort which is located at the end of Norzagary Street at the entrance to the bay of San Juan. There is a big green lawn to walk towards it, and you can take that famous FREE trolley but we wanted to go through all the people who were enjoying kite-flying on the Monday morning. The walk was just a quarter-mile. It was also a great picture taking opportunity.

    Once at the entrance gate, we just paid $5 per adult to see both forts (just $3 if you se only one fort)…and the 5 year old twins were free. This Castillo San Felipe del Morro protected the rich port from sea going enemies during the Spaniard Era, and it is part of the World Heritage UNESCO Site List (1983, as San Juan National Historic Site)

    The fort is amazing and the twins found this group of cannon balls arranged like a pyramid and nobody could stop them from climbing up – this seems to be a popular place for pictures. And then we just went everywhere around this big fort, enjoying the views and even having some jumping pictures.

    There are several levels on the fort, the famous being the uppermost level and the one with the artillery. There’s a map available for you once you get there so you can navigate yourself and choose the places you want to visit. I will not go into detail about this…but all the levels were fun!

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  • Address: Norzagary Street
  • Directions: end of Norzagary Street at the entrance to the bay of San Juan
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    El Morro: Fuerte San Felipe Del Morro
  • Tip Rating:
    • starship
  • Updated By starship on December 13, 2007
  • San Juan Page by starship
    • El Morro- courtesy of welcome.topuertorico.org - San Juan
    El Morro- courtesy of
    welcome.topuertorico.org
    by starship
    Fuerte San Felipe Del Morro, commonly known as "El Morro", is a widely known landmark of Puerto Rico and its picture is often used in travel advertisements. El Morro owes its history and architecture to the Spaniards who began building it in 1539. It suffered attacks from Sir Francis Drake in the 1500's and the Dutch fleet in 1625. El Morro also came into play in 1898 during the Spanish - American War.

    The fort was in use as lately as World War II when the U.S. added an annex to the fort for military purposes. Today its historical significance has been sealed by its designation as a World Heritage Site and is also a U.S. National Park Site coming under the U.S. National Park Service.

    The fort is open 9:00am to 5:00pm from June to November and 9:00am to 6:00pm from December through May. Adult Admissison is around $3.00 (2007 price). Children 15 & under are free!!

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  • Address: 501 Nozagaray Street, San Juan
  • Phone: 787-729-6777
  • Directions: From Luis Munoz Marin Airport, take Rd. 26 to Rd. 25 through Old San Juan. Then right onto Nozagaray Street which leads directly to El Morro.
  • Website: %cbwww.nps.gov/saju.
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    El Morro: CASTILLO DE SAN FELIPE DEL MORRO
  • Tip Rating:
    • LoriPori
  • Updated By LoriPori on April 9, 2006
  • San Juan Page by LoriPori
    • Entrance to El Murro - San Juan
    Entrance to El Murro
    by LoriPori, 4 more photos
    A well-known landmark in San Juan is the CASTILLO DE SAN FELIPE DEL MORRO or "EL MORRO". The Spaniards began construction in 1539. Francis Drake and the British attacked it and later on in 1625 so did the Dutch.
    Today this World Heritage Site welcomes multitudes of tourists arriving by cruise ship. We were four of them - Hans & I and His brother and his wife from Florida. We had a wonderful time exploring the nooks and crannies of El Morro. I was intrigued by the little circular sentry cubicles or "Garitas" that are unique to this fortification, the largest in the Caribbean.
    "Garitas" are small shelters with an open front to protect a sentry from the weather.
    I believe we paid a $2.00 US entry fee which is very good value.

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  • Address: 501 Nozagaray Street
  • Phone: 787 729 6777
  • Website: www.nps.gov/saju
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    El Morro: EL MORRO-ONE OF TWO FORTS IN OLD SAN JUAN
  • Tip Rating:
    • moiraistyx
  • By moiraistyx on August 10, 2007
  • San Juan Page by moiraistyx
    • El Morro - San Juan
    El Morro
    by moiraistyx, 4 more photos
    This was actually a cool tour to take. The fort is loaded with plaques and banners to read that provide loads of information. The fort itself is really old, it was built in 1539 by Spain. El Morro is 140 feet above sea and has 20-foot-thick walls. Spain's European enemies didn't stand a chance against this fort. The fort cosists of a maze of tunnels, barracks, dungeons, outposts and ramps. From El Morro visitors get an excellant view of the wall the Spainards began to build around the city. My favorite part of visiting the fort were the views it provided of the city, the cemetary, the ocean and San Cristobal. The fort is open daily from 9am to 5pm and costs $3.00 to get it in, if you are going to visit both forts you can get a combo ticket for $5.00.

  • Address: Western tip of Old San Juan
  • Phone: 787-729-6754
  • Directions: Western tip of Old San Juan
  • Website: www.nps.gov/saju
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    El Morro: El Morrro - an engineering standard
  • Tip Rating:
    • ets
  • Updated By ets on January 12, 2006
  • San Juan Page by ets
    • El Morro - sentinel of the Spanish empire - San Juan
    El Morro - sentinel of the
    Spanish empire
    by ets
    As I stood on its walls, I was reminded of similar views of Fort St Augustine in Florida, the first permanent Spanish settlement in the USA and of Fort Santiago in Manila. During its colonial period, Spain built forts to guard its empire using the same basic design and standards with efficiency and skill. They served well their purpose - to guard Spain's galleon trade routes from Manila to Acapulco, then from Vera Cruz to Seville.

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    El Morro: Castillo San Felipe del Morro
  • Tip Rating:
    • steph4867
  • By steph4867 on March 12, 2003
  • San Juan Page by steph4867
    • El Morro - San Juan
    by steph4867
    Called "El Morro," this fort stands on a rocky promontory dominating the entrance to San Juan Bay. Constructed in 1540, the original fort was a round tower, which can still be seen deep inside the lower levels of the castle. More walls and cannon-firing positions were added, and by 1787, the fortification attained the complex design you see today. This fortress was attacked repeatedly by both the English and the Dutch.

    The U.S. National Park Service protects the fortifications of Old San Juan, which have been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations. With some of the most dramatic views in the Caribbean, you'll find El Morro an intriguing labyrinth of dungeons, barracks, vaults, lookouts, and ramps. Historical and background information is provided in a video in English and Spanish. The nearest parking is the underground facility beneath the Quincentennial Plaza at the Ballajá barracks (Cuartel de Ballajá) on Calle Norzagaray. Sometimes park rangers lead hour-long tours for free, although you can also visit on your own. With the purchase of a ticket here, you don't have to pay the admission for Fort San Cristóbal if you visit during the same day.

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  • Directions: Bus: A5, B21, or B40
  • Website: http://www.nps.gov/elmo/
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    El Morro: Fly a Kite!
  • Tip Rating:
    • XanderDone
  • By XanderDone on June 2, 2005
  • San Juan Page by XanderDone
    • Kites asail at El Morro - San Juan
    Kites asail at El Morro
    by XanderDone
    If you so desire (and have one in tow) you can join hundreds of others to fly a kite in the field in front of El Morro. It's a uniting experience between families who don't even know each other, and it embodies the true spirit of the Puerto Ricans. Just taking a day to relax with the family in a park, perhaps picnic. If you get thirsty, there are vendors on the side of the road awaiting the tourists with overpriced waterbottles. But hey, there must be a market willing to pay that price, and if they can get the money out of someone, they deserve a pat on the back.

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  • Directions: El Morro
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    El Morro: San Felipe del Morro
  • Tip Rating:
    • pecaspeca
  • Updated By pecaspeca on July 3, 2005
  • San Juan Page by pecaspeca
    • Interior del Morro - San Juan
    Interior del Morro
    by pecaspeca, 1 more photos
    El Morro, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and San Juan Bay, is the most striking of the city’s military fortifications (and the greatest in the Caribbean). Along with San Cristóbal Fort, El Morro has been designated a National Historic Site and is part of a World Heritage Site. It is administered by the U.S. National Park Service. Open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. English tours depart at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM.

    El Fuerte San Felipe del Morro, rodeado por el Océano Atlántico y la Bahía de San Juan, es la más impresionante de las fortificaciones militares de la Isla ( y la más grande del Caribe). Al igual que el Fuerte San Cristóbal, El Morro ha sido designado como Legado Histórico Nacional y es parte del “World Heritage Site”.

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  • Address: Old San Juan
  • Phone: (787) 729-6960.
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    El Morro: El Morro
  • Tip Rating:
    • Gypsystravels
  • Updated By Gypsystravels on January 5, 2009
  • San Juan Page by Gypsystravels
    • Grounds of
    Grounds of "El Morro"
    by Gypsystravels
    The views of San Juan Bay from El Morro are spectacular. The area was designated a National Historic Site in February, 1949 with 74 total acres. It is the largest fortification in the Caribbean and rises 140 feet above the sea with 18 foot thick walls which proved to be a very important defense.

    The fort is a maze of tunnels, dungeons, barracks, outposts and ramps. It is full of small, circular sentry boxes called 'garitas' that are unique to the forts of Puerto Rico and have become a national symbol.

    The fort underwent a major restoration in 1992 for the 500th anniversiary of the discovery of Puerto Rico.

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    El Morro: El Morro - Castillo San Felipe Del Morro
  • Tip Rating:
    • virtualpatrick
  • Updated By virtualpatrick on May 11, 2004
  • San Juan Page by virtualpatrick
    • El Morro & Cementerio de Santa Maria - San Juan
    El Morro & Cementerio de Santa
    Maria
    by virtualpatrick
    Whether you pay the entrance fee ($3 adult) or admire this fort from the outside, it's an amazing structure. Imagine yourself transported back in time when it was used as a fortress and lookout point to prevent attacks from the land and sea.

    El Morro is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

    Next to the El Morro is the cemetary of Santa Maria Magdalena and it has a wonderful vista of the sea.

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  • Address: Calle Norzagaray 501
  • Phone: 787-729-6777
  • Website: www.nps.gov/saju
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