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Castillo San Felipe del Morro was named in honor of King Felipe II. Most of the walls in the fort today were added later, in a period of tremendous
construction from the 1760's to 1780's. Rising 140 feet above the sea, its 18-foot thick wall proved a formidable defense. It fell only once,
in 1598, to a land assault by the Earl of Cumberland's forces. The fort is a maze of tunnels, dungeons, barracks, outposts and ramps. El Morro
is studded with small circular sentry boxes called "garitas" that have become a national symbol. The views of San Juan Bay from El Morro are
spectacular. the area was designated a National Historic Site in 1949 with a total of 74 acres. It has the distinction of being the largest
fortification in the Caribbean. In 1992, the fortress was restored to its historical form in honor of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of
Puerto Rico by Christopher Columbus on November 19th, 1493. The fortress is open to visitors everyday.