Dating back to the 16th century, Morro Castle or Castillo De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro is no ordinary landmark in Cuba. Here are some fascinating facts regarding this towering structure.
Building Morro Castle
Believed to have been designed by none other than Juan Bautista Antonelli, the famous Italian engineer and builder, Morro Castle or Castillo De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro as it is known locally, was constructed using slave labour. As a key stopover for those who board interCaribbean Airways in order to enjoy Caribbean island holidays, its unique architecture remains a draw to this day. The building materials included rocks that were taken from dismantled moats during the last few decades of the 16th century.
Purpose of Building the Castle
Primarily built to serve as a defence fortress to protect a town called San Cristobal de la Habana, the castle never fulfilled its intended purpose due to delays in construction. It took nearly 30 years to complete building the castle.
Interesting Features
One of the most intriguing elements of the structure includes its floor, a polygon that has been infused from the rock on which the castle is built. Containing two bastions and one sea-facing semi-bastion, there are apertures on the back walls of the edifice from which prisoners are known to have been thrown overboard to become shark fodder.
From Fort to Prison
In spite of countless delays, the Morro Castle remained the only defensive apparatus on the port of Havana until La Cabaña was built in 1774. Having played an integral role during the English invasion of the city, the castle withstood artillery fire from a whopping 44,000 English soldiers who attacked the building from its landside. The fortress was finally taken by the British forces by mining into one of its ramparts.
