Fortaleza San Felipe Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Museo de la Fortaleza San Felipe

Established	1965 Opened to the Public in 1983
Location	Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Type	History museum

The Fortaleza San Felipe is a very old Spanish fort in the northern part of the Dominican Republic. It's in the Puerto Plata area. People also call it El Morro de San Felipe. This fort was built to keep the City of Puerto Plata safe. It protected the city from invaders, pirates, and privateers (who were like legal pirates). The fort sits on a hill called the Puntilla del Malecón, which means "seawall point." From this spot, it looks over the entrance to the city's seaport.

Building the fort started in 1564 and finished in 1577. It was named after King Felipe II of Spain. This fort is one of the oldest European buildings in the Caribbean. It's also the only part of Puerto Plata that still stands from the 1500s.

Today, the Fortaleza San Felipe is a museum. It shows how important the fort was in the history of Puerto Plata and the Dominican Republic. Inside, you can see old military items from the 1700s and 1800s.

History of the Fort
Gallery
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History of the Fort

In 1564, the Spanish decided to build a fort in Puerto Plata. Francisco Ceballos was in charge of the building project. When Ceballos passed away in 1572, Don Rengifo de Angulo took over. The fort was finally finished in 1577. It was named after King Felipe II of Spain.

Why the Fort Was Built

The fort was built in a very smart location. It was on a hill that looked out over the Atlantic Ocean. It also watched the entrance to the city's harbor. The main goal of the fort was to protect the northern coast of the island. It needed to defend against British and Dutch invaders. It also kept the area safe from pirate attacks and robberies.

Battles and Occupations

Over many years, the fort saw many battles. It was captured and occupied several times. In 1659, buccaneers (a type of pirate) took over the fort for a short time.

In 1800, the fort was part of a land battle during the Quasi War with the United States. American forces won against both French and Spanish forces in the Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor. Later, in 1863, the Spanish used the fort as a safe place. This happened when Dominican patriots attacked the city on August 27.

The U.S. naval forces also took over the fort in 1916. This was at the start of the United States occupation of the Dominican Republic. That occupation lasted from 1916 to 1924.

The Fort as a Prison

The Fortaleza San Felipe was used as a prison many times. This included during the time when Rafael Trujillo was a dictator. One of the Dominican Republic's founding fathers, Juan Pablo Duarte, was jailed here by President Pedro Santana. During Trujillo's rule, the husbands of the Mirabal sisters were also held here.

From Fort to Museum

The fortress became a museum in 1965. It had a big update in 1972. Then, it officially opened to the public in 1983. Today, this fort is the only building left from the 1500s in Puerto Plata. Other old areas were destroyed in battles or fires. Many were lost during the War of Restoration.