El Morro in Puerto Rico

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Published 2022-04-04
El Morro was initially fortified in 1539 and completed in 1589. Rising 140 feet above the sea, its 18-foot-thick wall proved a formidable defense. It fell only once, in 1538, to a land assault by the Earl of Cumberland's forces. The fort is a maze of tunnels, dungeons, barracks, outposts and ramps. Many restorations and expansions contributed to the imposing structure it is today. The area was designated a National Historic Site in February 1949 with 74 total acres.