Walled & heavily fortified citadel built 1765-1785 & largest of the Spanish built forts in Americas.
Castillo de San Cristóbal in San Juan
Description
The views here are amazing. Unfortunately I did NOT pay to go inside the castle but I did walk around the outside which done me justice. Nice local shops around the area as well.
MoreAmazing view of the city from here definitely worth all the walking we got here arround 1030 am really crowded and if you get a ticket here you can use it for the other castle el morro rich in history definitely a must see they have a gift shop here too
MoreThis place is MASSIVE. It’s crazy to think that they made this so long ago and so interesting to learn the history within these walls and beyond. There are some amazing views as well. The iguanas were nice surprises! It was so fun to explore! We went on a Thursday and paid $10 which gave us access to this location and Castillo San Felipe del Morro down the road. Definitely recommend going.
MoreWould recommend spending a few hours here and walking around to take some pictures and enjoy some of the views. I wouldnt spend too much time as there are other places to see as well.
MoreA must-see on a visit to Old San Juan, the Castillo San Cristobal dates back to Spanish colonial times and was built starting in 1634. The preserved ramparts give spectacular views of the ocean as well as the city and the various exhibits inside the fort are filled with information about life in San Juan and the castillo itself from the 1500s until San Cristobal was retired as a military installation after World War 2. Youll be able to enter the various observation towers from different eras as well as the recreated 18th Century barracks and officers quarters. Artifacts from Spanish times are also on display including armor and weaponry. A small store sells souvenirs and books and audio guides are also available for rental. Well worth your time!
MoreThis place has so much history. Being water if going during the summer. The tunnels were really interesting. The architecture is amazing, along with the beautiful view. We even spotted manatees playing in the ocean from a tower up above! Just beautiful!
MoreSuch a cool experience!!! Probably want to get there when they first open so it’s not as busy and it will get hot. Totally worth going to!
MoreWonderful castle with a great history behind it. Very interesting expositions, a lot of information about the history of Puerto Rico. Tickets cost $10 and let you visit two castles. The validation of the ticket is two days. Recommend to visit both of them. To see a small castle takes around one hour, Castle El Moree takes a little bit longer, around 1.30-2 hours. El Morro castle has one of the best views of the bathroom in the world. Also, when you will be done and will leave the castle spend some time walking around the castle, its worth it.
MoreYou might as well visit if you visited Castillo Moro the same day as the tickets gives entrance to both sites.It’s not nearly as impressive as the former, but it does have some excellent views of Old San Juan and some bits of history and interesting sights along the way.
MoreVery cool historic site. Great views of surrounding San Juan area.
So many corners to explore in this massive fort that has over 400 years of history. The tunnels were especially cool and unexpected.
MoreA short walk from the Shareton through Plaza Colon and by Cafe Berlin. A great place to eat after your visit to Castillo San Cristobal. Wear comfortable shoes, sun block, hat and take water to stay hydrated. Great views all around.
MoreAmazing place, you have to visit. It is only $10 and you get to see both castles.
MoreThis place has so much history. This is a place a highly recommended if you’re visiting Puerto Rico
MoreSteep hike to the highest point but well worth it. Can see all of San Juan from the highest part.
MoreAmazing fort and construction!! Very well preserved. Has some fantastic views of the seas and reminds you well of the Second World War period how life would have been for those defending.
MoreMy kids two and I came here as part of a cruise ship booked tour. It was probably our most memorable stop in San Juan. Great opportunities for pictures and views of the city. Loves the detailed history of the island here. It was really a special experience.
MoreWhether you like history or taking nice pictures, it’s a great spot to walk around
MoreHistory history and more history.Kids under 16 get in for free adults pay $10 bathrooms and gift shop no food here.However get to explore what the conquistadors walked through and lived through. Very rich in culture no guides but you can walk throughout the castle and read what life was like.
MoreOne of the must visit place in Puerto Rico. Amazing view of the ocean and the city. It also has nice lawn for kite flying and play area for kids. This place also offers nice short scenic trails. Parking is limited so one has to walk but it is worth it. I saw couple of large alive iguanas over there as well!!
MoreLoved this site, beautiful views and a cool sea breeze! Great to explore with kids!Tunnels, cannons, garrisons and 3 levels to check out.
MoreNice tourist spot military and veterans get in free. It is a beautiful walk around great for photos.
MoreIts standard with every other historical places everywhere. Pay $10 for each person with opening hours until 4:30 PM. Like seriously people, dont go in when its 4:25 PM, these folks have other lives too ya know. Overall, its a great place to learn about San Juan and Puerto Rico.PS: the tunnels are pretty cool!
MoreThis is the main fort that you see in all the visitors guides. It is in great shape and has many rooms to cost and exhibits to look at. The views from the torets are great and the views of the city and the ocean are spectacular. There is also a grassy area in front of the fort that is used for flying kites, and there generally are people there selling kites if you or your children want to join in. There is also a cemetery very near by that is an easy walk to and very nice. Well worth your time to walk up to this fort.
MoreThis is an amazing historical venue that is perfect for your intimate elopement or wedding. The cost is excellent and the service even better. Loved working here and cant wait to go back. Its beautiful bay view at the top of the castle is honestly one of the best in Old San Juan.
MoreWonderful historic site in Old San Juan. The ramps into the castle are VERY steep and long. A power wheelchair can go up, but those with walking issues probably can NOT. Rain would make the ramps slippery and dangerous. I didnt go up the top ramp as it was too steep for me in a wheelchair. Forget it if you use a manual chair as going down is scary even with a power chair.
MoreBuilt from 1634 until 1765, for centuries the Castillo San Cristóbal has been standing guard at the eastern gate of Old San Juan to protect it from land attacks. The imposing fortress was built to guard the city against enemies approaching by land, serving as a counterpart to Castillo San Felipe del Morro. what amazed me most is the Sentry box - Soldiers can guard the fort and they target enemies from these Sentry boxes. The textured walls, the tunnel with the old mural, and the sentry boxes with their outstanding views will all hold you spellbound.There are three levels at the fortress:Level 1: Main Plaza & The Lowest LevelLevel 2: Main Firing BatteryLevel 3: Observation Area & The Highest Levelthis fort also gives you a spectacular view of San Juan city, Capitol building, El Morro Fort, Caribbean sea, Cruise ships. One tunnel leads to a dungeon.I would recommend taking a guided tour to know more about it.Castillo San Cristobal is also a popular wedding venue, the elegant courtyard is a beautiful location for fairy tale weddings without having to travel to a faraway place.Ticket: Entry is only $10 which also includes El Morro fort, approximately 1.4 miles from here. ticket is valid for the Same and next day.
MoreIf you go to PR then this is a must go. Its a nice hike and has some wonderful views
MoreA great place with a view of the waters and preservation of the history. Very informative content through the galleries and walking around the castle gives you a great glimpse of the long history and importance of the castle and Puerto Rico as a territory. Highly recommend visiting if you want to do one thing in Old San Juan.
MoreAn amazing historical artifact. Much to see and very picturesque. Dont leave old San Juan without a visit.
MoreThis fort is nice but El Morrow is the superior of the two forts in Old San Juan. I recommend going to Cristobal first and since the $10 admission gets you into both see El Morrow second. Cristobal provides nice views of Old San Juan. Both are lovely national parks.
MoreThe engineering of the time is incredible and that it still stands today is proof of that. Masks are required in the time of covid but we enjoyed ourselves regardless. Anyone with an opportunity to visit and a love of historical places and ruins, highly recommend.
MoreSuch a lively place with loads of history . Would recommend early morning visit as it can take almost 3-4 hours if you want to learn all about it. Although with the ticket you get tour of the san juan national history site, the latter is just waste of time so if you are in rush so just visit this one.You can also get a free ride from this place to San juan natural history site just look for site 25 on the map.You can bring drinks and drink them while visiting the castle so have that mug of beer on the hand as it gets hot out there.You can take some lovely pictures and enjoy the warm weather all day long.Would recommend a vist to la factoria at the evening (10 mins walkand enjoy cocktails
MoreVery cool fortress with a fascinating history. Definitely worth checking out if you find yourself in San Juan.
MoreA must-see location in Puerto Rico and a great historical jewel of the old Spanish Empire. If you visit Puerto Rico, you must visit. The exhibit about the 500 years of San Juan was excellently put together.
MoreMost people go to the Castillo de Morro but having visited both I suggest no missing out on the Castillo de San Cristóbal if you have some time. This place was designed as a defense against land attacks and has interesting spread out structure with multiple layers of defenses.
MoreThe forts both were amazing. It has many rooms with a lot of history and ingi(but not overwhelming). Huge areas to walk and explore. Snacking views overlooking old city as well as nearby condado and capitol.
MoreJuan, an employee for the National Park Service, was an amazing source of information. The down side of this attraction is that there are a lot of empty spaces where they could put props but they dont. The rooms are left empty. Its even worse at the other Fort that is run by the National Park Service but this one had at least some props and certainly had information for those who wanted to purchase a headset to use while there as well as information on signs that gave information on the historical significance of many parts of the fort
MoreAwesome place to go. You do NOT need to be a history nut to enjoy this experience. They have lots of things explaining the history but they blend into the experience. You will be blown away by the views from every angle of the fort. It is only 10$ and you get to see BOTH castles in old San Juan over a two day period.
MoreBeautiful fort on the sea shore. There is lot of history in display here. Perfect place to take awesome pictures of San Juan shore line. Waves hitting the fort wall is mesmerizing. You get views of the city from different angles. There is lot of historical information displayed at various spots, highlighting the history and strategical importance of Puerto Rico. This is a must see place in any PR itinerary. The ticket covers both of the fort, including EL Morro.
MoreVery beautiful and timeless experience here! It was closed on Thanksgiving! Still very classic architecture going on. Old San Juan surrounding this fort, reminds me very much of New Orleans. Lovely weather. Easy to get here from Carnival Cruise Line. I enjoyed my time here. Very highly vaccinated area. I am going to bring my family here for vacation. A very large Walgreens in the area.
MoreBeautiful fort with gorgeous views overlooking the water and modern San Juan. We loved walking around this place and listening to the history via head-set (setup for us by Eduardo). Also shout out to Andres who gave us a lot of information about Puerto Rican history, culture, and sightseeing. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, definitely talk to them. Wonderful experience!
MoreAwesome views and a lot of history. We arrived late and the guard let us know we could use our passes tomorrow also. We are going to the other fort tomorrow.
MoreThis is a must see when visiting San Juan. Learning about the history of the city and its fortifications was very interesting. The views are amazing and you can envision what it would have been like looking for enemy ships approving the island. We found it very interesting that the fort was even used during World War 2! Bring your sunscreen because there isn’t much shade, but the views alone are worth the entry fee. With your purchase, you can even visit the second for just a few blocks away within a day of your ticket purchase. Don’t spend your entire day shopping in Old San Juan, step back into history and learn a little something about this beautiful island.
MoreIt is a beautiful Historic Site. Full of so much history. You can feel it as you walk in through the walls of the Castle. Breathtaking views of the ocean.
MoreThis was such a cool historical site with stunning vistas of the ocean and the city. The whole place is very well maintained, informative and clean. If you are in the city for a few hours this is definitely worth a stop.
MoreI was not disappointed with coming here at all. I got a pretty good experience of the history of Old San Juan. That’s decent especially being over 500 years old.Also, 1 ticket is valid for both parks for 24 hrs and for just $10 it’s worth to give it a try.
MorePhenomenal views! Well worth the price. You learn about the history of Puerto Rico and explore the grounds. We took our time and did not explore everything. It took us about 2.5 hours total to go through most of the exhibits offered. One of the best places to visit when going to Old San Juan and a must do if you visit!
MoreThis is a cool stop while touring Old San Juan. A lot of history in this site. There is a admission fee, free if your military. Inside there is a option to rent a electronic walking tour to guide you through the structure. There are some displays throughout and a gift shop. The views are also great, seeing the ocean or the pier. If history is your thing, you will not be disappointed.
MoreMake sure to check out this site. The castle has great historical value and illustrates how life was back in the olden days. With military barracks, cannons, and a church, this place is part of a seemingly much larger fort. Roughly a 20 minute walk along the coast line, will get you to the larger castle.
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