Just minutes from the San Juan port lies a fort known as San Cristobal. It is the largest structure built seen entering the historical city of San Juan. This massive citadel constructed centuries ago was aimed to protect San Juan bay from enemy nations. It contained a rampart large enought and capable of stopping any projectile intended to inflict damage from any corner.
The rich history of this fort San Cristobal will takes us on a journey of important events that catapulted and rose to it's pinacle. San Juan became the front door to the west indies.
Why these forts were built in the first place will help understand the causes that led to numerous military conflicts over a span of four centuries. This window of intruiging facts will permit us to dig deep into the root and discover the truth on what really happened.
For hundreds of years the Spanish soldiers defended San Juan and it's people. Cannon emplacements often seen today in old town were placed in positions to dislodge heavy projectiles against enemy ships. What the spanish empire had feared most was loosing Puerto Rico, the most important military stronghold in the carribean. In 1625 the dutch army invaded Puerto Rico in hopes to conquer the island. The battle which lasted for 40 days and at the end, the spanish soldiers and Juan de Amezquita, who at last became the main protagonist and ultimate hero, san juan prevailed to a dramatic victory for the island of Puerto Rico.
A decision had been finalized to expand a defense system strong enought to serve as a barrier against their adverseries and indeed the results had paid off at the end.
San Cristobal embodies more than just the size and massive thick walls seen today. In 1765, Alejandro O'Reilly and Thomas Odalys, both serving for the Spanish crown, did the unimaginable by engineering a fortress so massive but yet capable of stopping anyone who even dare to face an army so powerful, an army willing to die for their cause.
These massive sandstone block walls covered with limestone and sandstone deterred any cannons from penetrating through its walls.
Many Artisans, craftsmen and carpenters had undertaken challenges far more difficult than what they had imagine. Thousands of slaves were given the task of working in the nearby quarries. Many had not survived due to its force labor impose by the Spanish authorities in a very difficult time.
Once the fort had finally been completed, it became the strongest fort ever essembled by the spanish crown.
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