Fort of San Diego facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort San Diego |
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| Fuerte de San Diego | |
| Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico | |
View of the Fort of San Diego
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| Coordinates | 16°51′0″N 99°54′8.6″W / 16.85000°N 99.902389°W |
| Type | Star fort |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Condition | Intact |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1616–1617 (first fort) 1778–1783 (second fort) |
| Built by | Spanish Empire |
| Materials | Stone |
| Battles/wars | Mexican War of Independence French intervention in Mexico Mexican Revolution |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders |
Pedro Antonio Vélez (1813) |
The Fort of San Diego (also known as Fuerte de San Diego in Spanish) is a cool star fort in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico. It was built a long time ago by the Spanish Empire. This fort was one of the most important Spanish forts on the Pacific coast. The first fort was built in the 1600s, but it was completely rebuilt in the 1700s. Today, it's a famous landmark in Acapulco. You can visit it as the Acapulco Historic Museum (Museo Histórico de Acapulco).
Contents
Why Was the Fort Built?
The Fort of San Diego was built by the Spanish Empire to keep Acapulco safe. The city was a very important trading port. Ships called Manila galleons sailed from here across the Pacific. Because of all the valuable goods, pirates often tried to attack the city. The fort was built to protect Acapulco from these pirate attacks.
The first fort was started by Viceroy Diego Fernández de Córdoba, Marquis of Guadalcázar. It was finished in 1617. A Dutch military engineer named Adrián Boot designed it.
Rebuilding the Fort
In 1776, a big earthquake badly damaged the fort. So, it was torn down and rebuilt. Ramón Panón designed the new fort. Construction began in 1778 and finished in 1783.
The new fort was first named Fuerte de San Carlos. This was to honor King Carlos III, who was the king at the time. But most people still called it Fuerte de San Diego. Eventually, the new name was no longer used.
The Fort in Wars
The Fort of San Diego was used during the Mexican War of Independence. Spanish soldiers stayed inside the fort. They fought against Mexican rebels for many months. But on August 19, 1813, the fort was captured by Mexican forces. Their leader was José María Morelos.
The fort stayed an active military base for the Mexican Army. It was used by the Secretariat of War and Navy in the late 1800s. The fort also played a role in the French intervention in Mexico. Later, it was used during the Mexican Revolution.
The Fort as a Museum
In 1949, the fort was given to a government group. The plan was to turn it into a military museum. The Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) managed it for a while. Then, other government groups used it for cultural events.
Finally, in 1980, the fort was given back to INAH. It opened to the public as a museum in 1986. The museum teaches visitors about the history of Acapulco.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has many interesting exhibits. You can see old objects from the Mezcala culture. There are also artifacts about the Manila galleons and the pirates. You can learn about the Mexican War of Independence. Plus, there are exhibits all about the fort itself.
The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday. If you visit on a Sunday, admission is free!
How the Fort Was Designed
First Fort Design
The first fort, designed by Adrián Boot, had an unusual five-sided shape. Its five strong points, called bastions, had special names:
- Baluarte del Rey (King's Bastion)
- Baluarte del Príncipe (Prince's Bastion)
- Baluarte del Duque (Duke's Bastion)
- Baluarte del Marqués (Marquis' Bastion)
- Baluarte de Guadalcázar (Guadalcázar Bastion)
Second Fort Design
The fort you see today was designed by Ramón Panón. It has a perfect five-sided shape. Its five bastions are named:
- Baluarte de San José (St. Joseph Bastion)
- Baluarte de San Antonio (St. Anthony Bastion)
- Baluarte de San Luis (St. Louis Bastion)
- Baluarte de Santa Bárbara (St. Barbara Bastion)
- Baluarte de la Concepción (Conception Bastion)
Each bastion used to have a small tower called a guerite at its tip. But these were removed in the 1970s.
See also
In Spanish: Fuerte de San Diego para niños
- Military of New Spain
