San Felipe Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Felipe Castle |
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|---|---|
| Part of defences of Puerto Cabello | |
| Puerto Cabello, Carabobo | |
San Felipe Castle
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| Type | Fortress |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
limited opening (is situated within a naval base) |
| Site history | |
| Built | c. 1732 |
San Felipe Castle is an old fort built in the 1700s. It protects the city of Puerto Cabello in Venezuela. The fort is also known as Castillo Libertador. This name honors Simón Bolívar, who was called El Libertador (The Liberator) because he helped many countries in Latin America become independent.
Contents
History of San Felipe Castle
When San Felipe Castle was built, Puerto Cabello was a busy trading port. The castle's main job was to protect the town and its important harbor. It kept the area safe from pirates and from other countries that wanted to control the land.
Early Battles and Fortifications
The castle successfully defended against an attack by the Royal Navy in 1743. This battle was known as the Battle of Puerto Cabello. Even after this victory, the Spanish continued to make the defenses of Puerto Cabello stronger. They built another fort, Solano Castle, on a hill above the town.
By the 1770s, Puerto Cabello had become the most protected town on Venezuela's coast. San Felipe Castle and Solano Fortress are still standing from that time.
The Hermione Incident
In 1799, British forces attacked the port. They wanted to take back a ship called the Santa Cecilia. This ship used to be a British frigate named HMS Hermione. Captain Edward Hamilton, on his ship HMS Surprise, led a daring raid. On October 25, 1799, they managed to take the Santa Cecilia out of the harbor. Many Spanish soldiers were killed or captured during this event.
Role in Venezuelan Independence
In the early 1800s, San Felipe Castle played a part in the Venezuelan War of Independence. For a short time, the forces fighting for independence held the castle. In 1812, Simón Bolívar, who was a colonel then, was put in charge of Puerto Cabello. He left later that year when a rebellion started.
In 1821, Spanish forces retreated to the castle after losing the important Battle of Carabobo. The Spanish commander, Francisco Tomás Morales, eventually surrendered to the Venezuelan forces in 1823. This marked the end of Spanish control over the fort.
Later Conflicts
The castle was attacked again in 1902 by British and German forces during a dispute with Venezuela. News reports at the time said the castle was left in ruins.
In 1962, Puerto Cabello saw an uprising known as El Porteñazo. This was a conflict involving naval officers and marines. Although loyal forces quickly took back the naval base, fighting spread into the city. After intense street battles, loyal forces were able to regain control of Puerto Cabello.
San Felipe Castle as a Prison
Over the years, San Felipe Castle was also used as a prison. One famous prisoner was the poet Andrés Eloy Blanco. He wrote a poem about the castle called Barco de Piedra (Stone Ship) in 1937.
Images for kids
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San Felipe castle batteries in action in ‘The capture of the ‘Hermione’ (a painting exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1800).
See also
In Spanish: Castillo San Felipe para niños
