Did you know that the Fort of San Fernando is of great importance to the history of Santa Marta? This fort, one of the old military structures on the northern coast of Colombia, is a historical and cultural monument that has survived for centuries. Its construction dates back to the Spanish colonial era of the 18th century, so it is witness to many important historical events.
-icuwrt.webp)
The Fort of San Fernando was built in 1725, under the government of Juan Beltrán de Caicedo, to protect the city of Santa Marta from pirate attacks and enemy powers. In addition, it has been considered an asset of national cultural interest since 1989 by the Government of Colombia.
This fort is named in honor of King Ferdinand VI and was part of other important buildings to integrate a defensive triangle together with the island of El Morro and the Fort of San Antonio.
The construction of the Fort of San Fernando began by order of King Carlos III of Spain, in order to protect the city of Santa Marta from possible pirate and corsair attacks that plagued the region. The structure was designed by the military engineer Juan Francisco Maldonado, who also worked on the construction of other important forts on the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
The Fort of San Fernando was built on a hill at the northern end of the city, which allowed it to have a privileged view of the sea and the bay of Santa Marta. During the time of Colombia's independence, the Fort of San Fernando played an important role in the fight against the Spanish army.
The Fort of San Fernando is located at the tip of La Pedrera, on the San Fernando hill, between San Carlos Beach and Lipe Beach. It is important to know that access to the fort is not open to the public and is currently surrounded by facilities that belong to the Colombian National Army.
For lovers of history and culture, the Fort of San Fernando is an essential place to see and learn about in Colombia. To see this fort, we recommend the Santa Marta Pirate’s Boat Tour, where you can learn more about the history of Santa Marta and the other constructions that served to combat these attacks.
There is a legend that has been passed down from generation to generation in Santa Marta. This legend tells that there is a link between the Fort of San Fernando and the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, since it is said that these two buildings are connected by an internal tunnel through which the Liberator Simón Bolívar passed. It is also said that this tunnel was practically a labyrinth with no exit, and that it could even have been a mine.
However, this is just an unfounded story. Only that it does look like a labyrinth in which there are those who have walked up to 30 meters, but it is not long enough to walk through it and the Liberator could not have reached the Quinta de San Pedro.
To protect the city of Santa Marta, there were other important buildings, such as the San Antonio Fort and the Betin Fort, which defended the access to the bay.
A total of eight forts were built in the city of Santa Marta during its first three centuries of existence: Garcia de Lerma Fort-House (1530), Bonda Fort-House (1536, 1572), San Juan de las Matas Fort (1602), San Vicente Fort (1644), Nuestra Señora de la Caridad or Betin Fort (1663), San Antonio Fort (1719), San Fernando Fort (1725) and Morro Island Fort (1739, 1762, 1778).
In conclusion, the Fort of San Fernando is of great historical importance for the city of Santa Marta. Although it can only be seen from the sea, it should ideally be preserved, because it is a historical jewel that deserves to be known about its history and what made it one of the main lines of defense of Santa Marta at the time.
Sources: