Castillo de San Felipe de Lara, Spanish colonial fort at Rio Dulce entrance, Guatemala
The stone fortress features nineteen cannons, thick defensive walls, and a central tower overlooking Lake Izabal at the mouth of Rio Dulce.
The Spanish Crown ordered construction of the fortification in 1644 to defend against pirate attacks on trading vessels navigating between Guatemala and Spain.
The fortress represents Spanish colonial military architecture in Central America, incorporating local building materials with European defensive design principles.
Visitors can access all areas of the fortress daily from 8 AM to 5 PM, with guided tours available in Spanish and English.
The fortress served three distinct functions simultaneously: military defense, customs checkpoint for maritime trade, and prison for captured pirates.
Location: Izabal Department
Inception: 1644
GPS coordinates: 15.63742,-88.99338
Latest update: May 27, 2025 13:27
Guatemala offers Maya ruins, volcanoes and colonial buildings for photographers. The landscape features lakes, rainforests and beaches. Cities display Spanish architecture and indigenous markets.
Guatemala contains several photographic subjects within its borders. Maya ruins such as Tikal, Yaxha and Quiriguá stand in the tropical forests of Petén and Izabal. Colonial architecture appears in Antigua Guatemala, where the Santa Catalina Arch and painted facades line cobblestone streets. Lake Atitlán sits between three volcanoes, with towns like Santiago Atitlán and San Marcos La Laguna offering different perspectives on the water. Active volcanoes including Pacaya and Acatenango provide opportunities to photograph lava flows and crater landscapes. The highland areas of Alta Verapaz hold Semuc Champey, a natural limestone pool, and the caves of Lanquín and Candelaria. Hot springs at Fuentes Georginas lie near Quetzaltenango in the western highlands. Chichicastenango Market documents textile trade and indigenous ceremonies. Livingston on the Rio Dulce shows Garifuna culture on the Caribbean coast, while Monterrico offers black sand beaches on the Pacific. Less visited sites like Dos Pilas, Takalik Abaj and Iximche add pre-Columbian contexts. The collection covers both well known and remote locations across Guatemala's varied geography.
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