Castillo de Atarés, Colonial fortress in Havana, Cuba

Castillo de Atarés is a hexagonal stone fortress sitting on a hilltop in Havana with six corner watchtowers and a wide moat surrounding it. Inside are vaulted chambers, storage spaces, and a central parade ground with views over the harbor.

After the British occupation of Havana ended in 1763, Spain rebuilt the city's defenses. The Castillo de Santo Domingo de Atarés, named for governor Domingo Gayoso de los Cobos, was built from 1763 to 1767 under engineer Silvestre Abarca, with colonel Agustín Crame also involved. It formed a defensive triangle with La Cabaña and Castillo del Príncipe. It never saw combat, but in 1933 it was bombed by Cuban army and navy forces.

The fortress was a key part of Spain's defense strategy during colonial times and shows how military thinking shaped the city's layout. Walking through it, you see the spaces where soldiers lived and worked to guard the harbor.

The fortress is best visited in good weather since you walk on walls and platforms in open areas. Guided tours help explain what each section was used for and make navigating the spaces easier.

The roof platforms held twenty-one 24-pounder cannons mounted on carriages with gabions, not six guns. The six refers to the bomb-proof vaults around the parade ground, used as barracks, food and supply stores, and an armory.