Page 238 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

236  CUBA REGION B Y REGION

t Castillo del Morro

At the entrance to the Bay of Santiago, 10 km (6 miles)
southwest of the city centre, stands an imposing castle,
declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.
The Castillo del Morro San Pedro de la Roca combines
medieval elements with a modern sense of space, adhering
nonetheless to classical Renaissance principles of geometric
forms and symmetry. The fortress was designed in 1638 by A cannon, part of the old battery used
to defend the bay
engineer Giovanni Bautista Antonelli for the governor Pedro
de la Roca, who wanted to defend the city against pirate
raids. Large enough to house 400 soldiers when it was built,
the castle was converted into a prison in 1775, becoming a
fortress once again in 1898 during the wars of independence,
when the US fleet attacked the city. Today it houses a naval
and piracy museum.

. View of the Bay
The parapets and lookouts on the upper
parts of the fortress were used by the
sentries to keep watch. Visitors today
can appreciate the setting and enjoy
a marvellous view over the bay.

KEY
1 Plataforma de la Punta
(morrillo, or bluff)
2 The stone stairway on the side
of the castle facing the sea is part of
an open-air network of steps leading
to the upper levels.
3 Underground passageways
link the various parts of the castle.
This one leads to the artillery area.
4 Artillery area
5 In the casemates a display
of prints illustrates the history
of Santiago’s forts.
6 Dry moat
7 Three separate main structures,
built on five different levels, form the
skeleton of the castle. This unusual
construction is a result of the uneven
terrain of the headland.

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp262–3 and p275

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