The Wandering Disciple

For early attackers an attempt to conquer the fortified city of San Juan was a difficult task due to the forts strategically located in this colonial island city.  The first line of defense was El Morro, a fort built at the tip of the harbor to help protect the port city from attacks from the sea. Although San Juan had fallen into enemy hands twice in three attacks, the only attack by seas was successfully fought off in 1595, the remaining two attacks were overland attacks.  But with fort successfully withstood all of the skirmishes. Today El Morro and nearby San Cristobal can be toured as part of the San Juan National Historic Site operated by the National Park Service.  (Photo: October 23, 2006)

Underground tunnels like this one were used to safely transport troops and goods through the fort at Fort San Cristobal in San Juan. Today visitors can tour the historic fort that help protect the island city of San Juan. (Photo: October 23, 2006)

San Juan, Puerto Rico: The largest fort built in the New World by the Spanish, Fort San Cristobal was built to help protect San Juan from land attacks. The fort was used in conjunction with other Spanish forts to provide a well rounded defense system. Finished in 1783, the 27 acre fort surrounded the city and access to the city was controlled through the fort’s gates. The fort featured an extensive tunnel system to travel throughout the fort. The walls of the fort contained several sentry boxes called garitas that were used to help protect the perimeter of the fort. Fort San Cristobal saw its first attack in 1797 as San Juan was invaded by British troops. A troop of over 7,000 British soldiers under the commanded for Sir Ralph Abercromby invaded the island in one of th largest invasions. The Spanish troops were able to successfully defend the city and avoid British occupation. In 1855the fort was temporarily taken under control by Spanish rebels. The mutiny by the San Cristobal...