Fort of San Felipe
Note: many comments refer to directions, like north, east, etc. For these, assume the lagoon is east. If you are going by a compass, the lagoon does not run exactly north/south. If you have a GPS unit, the fort is at 18°40.627N, 88°23.309W.
The Fort of San Felipe was built in 1733 under
the orders of Don Antonio de Figueroa y Silva,
field marshal of Yucatan to protect the Bacalar
population from the frequent attacks by pirates
and to defend the region from harrassment from
the traders in Campeche wood. In the second
half of the XIX century, during the so called
War of the Castes, the fortress once again
became the scene of skirmishes for the posession
of the fortress.
Moat
At the bottom of the moat that surrounds the Fort, sharp pointed stakes were placed to reinforce its defensive power.
Museum
The main part of the fort is a wonderful Museum that includes information on the Mayan culture, Pirates, and the War of the Castes. It is definitely worth a trip to Bacalar to see the Fort of San Felipe and its great Museum.
Gallery
More about Fort San Felipe
