Castillo San Felipe del Morro, San Juan, Puerto Rico

4.5 (4.386 reviews) Friday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Ranking #2 in San Juan Historic Sites

Worth it

An esplanade greets you as you walk towards the Fort San Felipe del Morro. Surrounded by grassy hills, the stone castle rises majestically from the headland. And while El Morro may be an impressive sight from land, it is a terrifying experience to encounter it head on by sea. And for many attackers, it was the very last thing they saw. This fortress has seen many battles over the centuries, from Sir Francis Drake's attack in 1595 to the 1898 Bombardment of San Juan by the US Navy. In 1539 King Charles I ordered the construction of San Felipe del Morro and other fortifications on the islet of San Juan. Over the years, Spanish, Italian, Irish and American engineers perfected San Juan's defense system, of which el Morro was an essential part. After crossing the stone bridge over the dry moat, you'll walk right into a spacious courtyard that harbor leads you into the castle's more "domestic" areas, such as the kitchen and the chapel. Nevertheless, this is just one of the six levels that form el Morro. On the upper level, you'll find the lighthouse that was restored by the American Coast Guard in 1908. One of the greatest things about this vantage point is that you can see most of San Juan and the bay across from it. Park rangers will guide you throughout the massive fortification, which still houses original cannons, ammunition, and many other objects used by the Spanish militia in Puerto Rico. El Morro was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, and is currently under the administration of the National Park Service.
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Address

501 Calle Norzagaray, San Juan 00901-1213 Puerto Rico

Mobile

+1 787-729-6960

Website

http://nps.gov/saju

Working hours

Monday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Current local date and time now

Friday, May 03, 2024, 7:38

User Ratings

4.5 based on (4.386 reviews)

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77%

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21%

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Reviews

5B1714D 5:00 PM Jan 29, 2023
The second oldest fortress in the Americas
The Ozama fortress in Santo Domingo is the oldest fortress built in the Americas. El Morro was the second, built by the Spaniards in 16c, however it's much bigger, more interesting and far better preserved than the Santo Domingo one. The fortress was built on the San Juan islet tip to protect the city from the sea. Visiting it could be demanding for people with mobility issues and those with little kids. From the old town you need to climb uphill the old cobbled streets and then there's a huge lawn leading to the fort with many locals around flying kites. Once inside after crossing the dry moat you encounter massive fortress spread on six levels with the bottom level right by the sea. Count on around an hour for a proper visit. Entry is 10$ pp (including the other fortress of San Cristobal).
5CVTravelers 5:00 PM Jan 28, 2023
Amazing place to explore
My wife and I walked through the San Juan gate near the cathedral, turned right and walked along the outside of the city walls next to the ocean up to the fort itself. Once you reach the actual fortifications, there is a staircase that leads up to the national park entrance gate. This is lovely walk and gives you a great impression of how massive the city walls and fortifications are and we would recommend this. Once you enter the national park gate, the inside of the fort is amazing and worth the time to explore all the levels and read the exhibits. Well done !!!