1. Begin your tour in the main plaza. Here troops assembled for parades, inspections, and guard mounts. The well in the center gave access to three underground cisterns which held 220,000 gallons of rainwater collected from El Morro's gundeck surfaces - enough for a year's supply if the garrison were under siege. The vaulted rooms surrounding the plaza are called casemates. They served as living quarters for officers and soldiers, storerooms for food, powder magazines, prison cells, and cannon firing positions.

Main Plaza looking west. The museum (at left, covered in scafolding) was closed for renovation during our visit. The chapel is marked with columns, cannons (see # 3) to the right, and the ramp to the Bastion de Austria is at the point of the triangular courtyard, center top of photo.

2. The garrison worshiped twice a day in this chapel. The artwork you see over the altar is a replica of an oil painting by Alejo Fernandez circa 1531, The Virgin of the Navigators. The Archivo General de Indias in Spain has the original work.

3. At least six artillerymen were required to work this 8-pounder cannon, capable of firing an average of two balls per minute. Located 120 feet above sea level, this cannon could fire at ships up to about a half mile away.

4. The powder magazine stored ammunition inside walls built thick enough to be considered bombproof.

5. Go up the ramp to the Austria Bastion. This part of El Morro was completed in 1595 to protect against land approaches.

I was sad to see the museum closed. I visited the fort back when I was about 35 years old, but I remember little of it except that it was a great place to run around, and getting yelled at to stay away from the edges or else I'd fall out and smash against the rocks below. Interfering advice then. Sage advice now.

The chapel has a few pews, but most of the gun casemates are empty. I cannot recall a gun at # 3. Restrooms and a tiny bookstore are also on this level. Even though it was February, the sun punishes you in a stone courtyard.

Castle San Felipe del Morro (El Morro) San Juan, Puerto Rico

Four Attacks: 1595-1797
El Morro Walking Tour: Main Plaza
El Morro Walking Tour: Bastion de Austria
El Morro Walking Tour: Bastion de Ochoa
El Morro Walking Tour: Battery del Carmen
El Morro Walking Tour: Artillery Ramp
El Morro Walking Tour: Battery de Santa Barbara
El Morro Walking Tour: Garita (Sentry Boxes)
El Morro Walking Tour: Lower Level
El Morro Walking Tour: Promenade (Outside Fort)
El Morro Walking Tour: Map of Upper Levels
El Morro Walking Tour: Map of Lower Levels