Fortaleza San Felipe, 16th-century coastal castle and military museum in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Fortaleza San Felipe is a stone fortress sitting on a hill at Puntilla del Malecón with four round towers positioned at the corners. Inside, the structure houses military equipment, weapons, and uniforms from different periods of history.
The fortress was built in 1564 under orders from Spain's King Philip II to defend the port against pirates and enemy ships. This reveals how important Puerto Plata was as a trading center for Spanish colonial power.
The fort displays weapons, uniforms, and military gear that show how soldiers lived and worked in this place over centuries. Walking through reveals how people adapted their defenses and strategies through different eras.
You can walk around the exterior walls to view the round towers from different angles, or explore the interior rooms where collections are displayed. Access to the site is straightforward and there are paths that let you move freely across the grounds.
In the central courtyard sits a recessed area with an opening that once functioned as a hidden trap for intruders crossing the drawbridge, complete with sharpened stakes inside. This concealed defense method reveals the ingenuity of military engineers from that era.
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