Fort San Andres, Spanish colonial fortification in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Fort San Andres is a stone fortification with five cannon positions that was originally connected to the mainland by a wooden bridge. The structure displays the characteristic design of a Spanish coastal battery with solid masonry foundations.
The fort was built in 1787 to replace an earlier earthen fortification and remained active until British forces captured Trinidad from Spanish control in 1797. After this military takeover, the structure lost its original defensive purpose.
The fort represents the last remaining military structure from Spanish colonial times on Trinidad and now serves as the City of Port of Spain Museum. Visitors experience the layered history through what remains standing today.
The fort is located at South Quay in Port of Spain where original foundations and multiple preserved cannons are visible. The site is centrally positioned and easily accessible, offering good views across the harbor area.
The fort shifted from a coastal defense position to an inland structure as Port of Spain's waterfront expanded through successive land reclamation projects. This geographical transformation fundamentally altered the building's original relationship with the water.
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