The San Pedro de la Roca Castle is a fortress situated 10 km from Santiago de Cuba.
Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca History
This 17th-century fortress, situated on a rocky promontory at the coast of Santiago city, is the best-preserved monument of Spanish-American military architecture.
Giovan Battista Antonelli, a member of a Milanese family of military engineers, designed it in 1637, inspired by Italian and Renaissance design principles.
It was primarily established to guard against commercial and political rivals in the Caribbean region, European colonies, and raiding pirates. It features a strong defensive series of forts, barricades, citadels, armories, and batteries.
Due to sporadic construction work, completion of the citadel took nearly 42 years. Despite many overseas attacks and natural disasters like earthquakes, this massive historical complex of fortifications still stands.
The castle went through a massive restoration project in the 1960s. Today it is one of the best-preserved castles in America, as well as the best example of a Renaissance fortress. Since 1997, it is a World UNESCO heritage site too.
Visitor Information
Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca (also known as El Morro) houses an interesting Museum of the Pirates, a museum that details the pirate attacks that Santiago went through over the course of history.
The castle can be visited daily between 8:00 AM and 19:00 PM. The entrance fee for an adult is $4, and children under the age of 12 enter for free. For a camera, a $1 fee is charged and a $5 fee is charged for using a camcorder.
San Pedro de la Roca Location
Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca (El Morro) is located in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Get help with directions using the map provided below: