Fortress sights in Central America
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Fuerte San Lorenzo
The Fuerte San Lorenzo was built in 1595, by order of Felipe II of Spain, to fortify the Río Chagres and the trade route to the city of Panamá. Despite its violent history, which includes constant pirate attack (and occupation by Sir Francis Drake himself), much of San Lorenzo is well preserved, including the moat, the cannons and the arched rooms.
Together with Portobelo, Fuerte San Lorenzo was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1980. Like its contemporary fortresses at Portobelo, San Lorenzo was constructed of blocks of cut coral, and armed to the teeth with rows upon rows of cannons. If you inspect the cannons closely, you'll notice that some of them are…
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Panamá Viejo Ruins
The center of power resided at the Casas Reales (Royal House), a complex ringed by timber ramparts and separated from the city proper by a moat. Within the complex were the customs house, the royal treasury, a prison and the governor's house. Despite the obvious historical importance of the site, past governments have allowed sections of the property to be used as a landfill and for horse stables. Only scattered walls remain of the once-impressive structures.
The Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Cathedral of Our Lady of Asunción), built between 1619 and 1626, is the best-preserved building of the ruins. In traditional fashion, it was designed so that its two…
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Fortaleza El Coyotepe
Built in 1893, the eerie hilltop Forteleza Coyotepe is worth the climb just for the view: Laguna de Masaya, Lago de Managua, Volcán Mombacho and, if it's clear, Volcán Momotombo, rising red and black above Managua. Its historic significance is profound: it was here that Benjamín Zeledón, the 1912 hero of resistance to US intervention, drew his last breath.
Zeledón's death was not in vain. The marines may have managed to take the fortress, but they were watched all the while by a certain young man named Sandino, who vowed his revenge... In the end Fortaleza El Coyotepe would be overrun during Sandinista's final 1979 offensive.
Your entrance fee, a donation to the…
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El Fortín
The National Guard's last holdout in León, El Fortín can be reached by the 2.5km dirt road that begins on the west side of Guadalupe cemetery, on the southern border of Barrio Subtiava. The large, squat gray building was originally constructed in 1889 to take advantage of great city views. It was abandoned until the 1950s, when the Somozas realized that they needed to keep an eye on León itself. They lost the fort on July 7, 1979, and the Sandinistas still have a parade every July to celebrate.
The fortress is next to a smelly garbage dump; you'll need to ask for permission to enter. Muggings are common on this stretch, so go in a group and leave your camera and other…
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Fuerte San Fernando
To defend his bullion and galleons from pirates, King Félipe II ordered forts to be constructed at Portobelo based on Italian engineer Juan Bautista Antonelli's recommendation. In 1601, Fuerte San Félipe and Fuerte San Diego were built near the mouth of the bay, but were subsequently destroyed by British Admiral Vernon in 1739.
In the years to follow, Fuerte San Fernando was built on top of these ruins, though sadly much of the fort was later taken down by American engineers, who used its walls to create the breakwater protecting the northern end of the Panama Canal. Still, it's a scenic spot worth visiting and boats can be hired from the water's edge to bring you…
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Fuerte Santiago
As you approach the town from the west, the first fort you'll see is Fuerte Santiago, which was built after an attack on the city by Admiral Edward Vernon (during which earlier forts were destroyed). Several of its walls are 3m thick and made entirely of cut coral. Known to the Spaniards as 'reef rock', coral was extensively used as a building material since it's tough as granite yet light as pumice and it can easily be shaped with a saw.
The ruins at Fuerte Santiago include officers' quarters, artillery sheds, a sentry box, barracks and several watchtowers.
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Forteleza Coyotepe
Built in 1893 atop Cerro de los Coyotes, eerie Forteleza Coyotepe witnessed the last stand of Benjamín Zeledón, the 1912 hero of resistance to US intervention. The marines managed to take the fortress, watched all the while by a young man named Sandino, who vowed his revenge. In the end it would also be the National Guard's last stronghold, overrun during Sandinista's final 1979 offensive.
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Fuerte San Jerónimo
This was the largest fortress ever built to protect the bay. Facing the mouth of the bay are 18 cannon embrasures, some of which remain exactly where the Spanish troops left them when they returned home in 1821 - the year Panama declared its independence from Spain. Beyond the impressive gateway of San Jerónimo are the remains of the officers' quarters, barracks and a guardroom.
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Fortaleza La Polvora
Originally called the Fortaleza de Armas when it was constructed in 1748, this lavishly turreted Spanish fortress still has the best view in town, over ancient, water-stained church domes all the way to Lago de Nicaragua. You can also check out paintings, a few interesting artifacts and one of the better public toilets (it's hexagonal!) in Nicaragua.
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