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At the entrance to the Bay of Santiago, 10 km (6 miles) southwest of the city centre, stands an imposing castle – the Castillo del Morro San Pedro de la Roca – which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.
t The castle is reached by passing over a wooden bridge over a dry moat. The bridge used to be raised to protect Castillo del Morro from inturders.
Experience Eastern Cuba
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Combining medieval elements with a modern sense of space, the Castillo del Morro adheres to classical Renaissance principles of geometric forms and symmetry. The fortress was designed in 1638 by engineer Giovanni Bautista Antonelli for the governor Pedro de la Roca, who wanted to defend the city against pirate raids. 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. 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, and has excellent views over the bay from the fortress walls.
Experience Eastern Cuba
The Bay of Santiago
About 8 km (5 miles) southwest of the centre of Santiago de Cuba is the Marina Punta Gorda. From here ferries cross over to Cayo Granma, a small island in the middle of the bay, home to a picturesque fishing village made up of multicoloured huts and small houses. This island is a peaceful place with a few places to eat. You can see the Cayo Grande from the Castillo del Morro (right).
Did You Know?
The term “piracy” in the fortress’ museum is also used to describe US aggression against Cuba.