San Juan National Historic Site – El Morro & San Cristobal Forts and The Wall

Walk Into 500 Years of History! San Juan National Historic Site preserves stories of great ambition and aspirations. Countries fought for control of this tiny yet strategic island for centuries. Generations of soldiers have lived and worked within the forts. Visitors today are as inspired by these stories as they are by the beauty of the architecture and the ingenuity of design and engineering of this World Heritage Site.

Address: 501 Norzagaray Street, Castillo San Cristóbal, San Juan, PR 00901 (Mailing)
Phones: 787-729-6777 / 787-729- 6754
Website: www.nps.gov/saju/
Email: saju_superintendent@nps.gov
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SanJuanNPS/
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/e5vUkqN7LW42

Standard Hours:

• Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• 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

Castillo San Felipe del Morro

Castillo San Felipe del Morro, (El Morro) sits atop a high promontory overlooking the entrance to the San Juan Bay. It is the result of the efforts of Spanish engineers over a period of more than 250 years and is one of the largest fortifications built by the Spain in the Caribbean. Although its foundation was laid in 1539, the six-level fortification was not considered complete until 1787.

Castillo San Cristóbal

It stands guard at the eastern gate, the land entrance, to the walled city of Old San Juan. Construction on San Cristobal began in 1634 and finished in 1790, although modifications were made well into the 18th Century. Its better-known sister fortification, El Morro, was designed to protect the city from attacks by sea, whereas San Cristóbal guarded from enemy approaches by land. Enjoy a walk through the fortification, peer through cannon enbrasures and visit sentry boxes where half a millennium ago Spanish soldiers stood watch.