San Cristobal Fort, San Juan

This huge fortress, begun in 1634 and reengineered in the 1770s, is one of the largest ever built in the Americas by Spain. Its walls rise more than 150 feet above the sea--a marvel of military engineering. San Cristóbal protected San Juan against attackers coming by land as a partner to El Morro, to which it is linked by a half-mile (1km) of monumental walls and bastions filled with cannon-firing positions. A complex system of tunnels and dry moats connects the center of San Cristóbal to its "outworks," defensive elements arranged layer after layer over a 27-acre site. You'll get the idea if you look at the scale model on display. Like El Morro, the fort is administered and maintained by the National Park Service. Be sure to see the Garita del Diablo (the Devil's Sentry Box), one of the oldest parts of San Cristóbal's defenses, and famous in Puerto Rican legend. The devil himself, it is said, would snatch away sentinels at this lonely post at the edge of the sea. In 1898 the first shots of the Spanish-American War in Puerto Rico were fired by cannons on top of San Cristóbal during an artillery duel with a U.S. Navy fleet. Sometimes park rangers lead hour-long tours for free, and you can also visit on your own.

We had visited El Morro, the other fort in old San Juan, on our last visit so this time we headed to San Cristobal which was free for the day in honor of Martin Luther King Day. We just missed a ranger guided tour of the tunnels but caught the tail end of it, try to plan your visit for one of these because he seemed like a really good guide.

If you don't hit one of the guided tours, you are free to wander around the fort where you will find plenty of signs telling you what the various areas of the fort were used for and why San Juan even needed a fort at all.

4 more images

Fort San Cristobal is about 100 years younger than its "big brother", El Morro. Its construction began in 1634 and when it was completed about 150 years later, it became the largest fortification built by Spanish settlers in the Americas. Its design is somewhat similar to that of El Morro, with the addition of an extensive network of tunnels that made it easier for soldiers to get around the fort. Towards the end of the 19th century, a rather large portion of the fort was destroyed to allow the city of San Juan to expand, but all of the main attractions remain (the main plaza, or "Plaza de Armas", the sentry boxes, the chapel, the tunnels and the soldiers' quarters, just to name a few) and can still be visited.

Like El Morro, El Castillo de San Cristobal is part of the San Juan National Historic Site. It is open daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and tickets cost $3 (it costs $5 to visit both forts and the ticket is valid for 7 days). Orientation talks are offered every hour on the hour, as well as some special guided tours (check the website for schedule). If you're wondering if it's worth visiting both forts, my answer would be a resounding yes! Both are very interesting to visit and I thought the views offered at Fort San Cristobal were even nicer than the ones at El Morro since Old San Juan has grown all around it. It's also where you'll find the "garita del diablo", a sentry box surrounded by many legends since it is believed that some soldiers mysteriously disappeared as they were watching the sea...

1 more image

There is another fort included in the ticket we bought from El Morro (adult $3 for El Morro plus $2 for Cristobal = total of $5)--- the other famous fort is called the San Cristobal and is a one-mile walk from El Morro --- but due to our hyperactivity combined with the humidity, we decided to just ride the free trolley.

San Cristobal is located at the intersection of Munoz Rivera and Norzagaray Streets, across from the Plaza Colon…But unfortunately, we missed it because the trolley driver does not remind people that “This is the fort stop” – no voice…and so we ended up coming back to the fort later after lunch in the old city.

This fort of San Cristobal has a different feel from El Morro – very much different because there is a curvy paved incline that you go up to – much like a castle. And it is part of the World Heritage UNESCO Site List (1983, as San Juan National Historic Site)

And then there is a nice open square in the middle of the fort with pictures of how guards used to parade or stand in platoons there. There is also a bigger gift shop here and then DUNGEONS! A real tunnel/cave which I had fun scaring the twins with, hehehe…But my kids are not easy to scare and they just though I was funny, see my video…

This was built on San Cristobal Hill and is the largest Spanish fortification in the New World, built starting in 1539.

1 more image

If you are interested in history, enjoy a walk on the ramparts where soldiers a half a millenium ago held their watch. Here you will have a panoramic view of the coast from Old San Juan to Condado and beyond. This is the largest fortification built by the Spanish in the New World.
Inside the old buildings there is a good portrayal of the history about the events that occured here with the first shots of the Spanish American War.
Construction on San Cristobal started in 1634 and was completed in 1790. The Fort was constructed as a guardian of approaches by land.
If you have a Seniors Golden Pass for U.S. National Parks, you can use it here!

4 more images

We really enjoyed strolling through the old fort. The views from the inside looking out over the water is amazing. I got some really beautiful pictures from here.

San Cristóbal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Site under the U.S. National Park Service. The fort is open to the public daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm from June to November and 9:00 am to 6:00 pm December to May.

4 more images

Although I'm glad I visited this fort, I found El Morro much more picturesque. There are many rooms to visit deep within the fort and displays regarding the history and how the soldiers lived within the fort. We spent about 45 minutes here. Enough time to see everything within the fort.

4 more images

Not nearly as popular with tourists as Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San Cristobal is worth a visit in its own right. Built on San Cristobal Hill, the fort is the largest Spanish fortification in the New World. San Cristobal has the same basic structure as El Morro, including cannon openings and historical displays but it also has some unique tunnel walks, scores of iguanas, and more panoramic city views. Opening hours vary depending on the season with entrance to the fort costing $3 per adult (for $5 you can purchase a ticket allowing entry into San Cristobal and del Morro).