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Image credits: Peter Glogg
If you’ve seen fortresses and military garrisons around the world, you might think that this one is just like one of them, but you’re absolutely wrong.
Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, also known as Castillo del Morro, is a 17th-century military fortress in Santiago de Cuba, the second largest city in Cuba. What makes this fortress unique from the rest is that it features an intricate complex of strong military forts and bastions, making it the most complete and best-preserved example of Spanish-American military architecture.
Image credits: casaadelaida.ch
Designed by Giovanni Battista Antonelli, Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca was built to protect the area from pirate attacks in the 17th century, a time when political and commercial conflicts were rampant in the Caribbean region.
In the late 17th century, the fortress was destroyed by a series of earthquakes, and in the 20th century, its rock foundation slowly corroded. Thanks to the efforts of Francisco Prat Puig, an outstanding Spanish archaeologist and restorer, Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca was revived in the 1960s and had since claimed its glory once again. In 1997, it was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Head down to Cuba to conquer this fortress before it’s gone.
