Author Name: Carribean Channel, Cuba TV.
This story was originally published on canalcaribe.ict.cu. [1]

A watchman at the entrance of the Bay: The Castle of the Three Kings of Morro – Canal Caribe

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Date: 2022-02

From the beginning of the 16th century, the rich Spanish colonies were coveted by other European nations, which by means of Corsican and piracy achieved their participation in obtaining wealth.

A meeting point of the Fleet of the Indies

The Island of Cuba had certain points that interested in its location, such as Santiago de Cuba and Havana. The Havana port was a meeting point for the Firm Land and New Spain fleets. Large fortunes of gold, silver, and other rich cargoes were retained annually in it. Its strategic situation, in addition to its climatic and topographic conditions, provided a safe place for the return to Spain.

In 1537 the looting and burning of the primitive village of San Cristóbal de La Habana by the French privateer Jacques de Sores took place from the Havana port. Facts of this magnitude were followed throughout the century, and in the last quarter Spain also had to respond to the increasingly predominant presence of England overseas.

Continental Defensive System

When showing its naval power symptoms of decline, the metropolis was forced to launch a new strategy aimed at militarily strengthening land enclaves and borders, mainly those ports with commercial function.

For this the Spanish king Felipe II, ordered the creation of a Continental Defensive System from Florida to the Strait of Magellan. This project included the Castle of the Three Kings of Morro, which began construction in 1589.Havana and its port were especially considered for this defensive project as a meeting point for the Spanish mainland and New Spain fleets.

The engineer Antonelli was in charge of the Morro project With the arrival in Havana of the engineer Baptist Antonelli, Italian military at the service of the King of Spain Felipe II and director of works, and the field master Juan de Tejeda, appointed new governor of the Island, the first stones for the construction were established del Castillo shortly after September 20, 1589, made engraved on a gravestone, which although in poor condition, is still preserved. The characteristics of the rocky soil and quarries located near the hill of La Cabaña provided the solid materials for the construction of the Castle. A large amount of gunpowder was used during the blasting work to extract the stone.

The height of the hill had a great tactical-strategic value with respect to the defense of the town, tribute granted by the ability to visualize the entire Havana town, the port, an extensive portion of its coasts from east to west, as well as some beaches . It was the ideal means of communication, the main point to establish contacts, warning signals and flanking position with the other defenses.

An evocation of the Three Wise Men

The origin of the name of the Castle is part of its history and is a union of tradition and geography. It was customary for most of the Spanish fortresses to acquire the names of the monarchs, of saints or of the places where they were located. This adopted the Three Kings to evoke the wise men of the Catholic religion and that of Morro, because as its name implies, it is a portion of high, rocky, steep, isolated terrain and at the seashore.

Labor for the construction of the fortress

The main workforce for the construction of the Castle of the Three Kings of Morro were the black slaves, they were joined by forced galleys and other inmates such as pirates and privateers of different nations, who performed masonry, carpentry, among others.The main problem with the workforce is that the majority were women, who could not do the heavy work that required such a large construction. The work force was unstable and heterogeneous which caused the work to last many more than expected.

The Lighthouse: a representative element of the Fortress

In the first half of the 16th century, with the objective of facilitating the location of the Bay of Havana, a watchdog service aimed at sighting enemy ships was signaled at the east end of the harbor channel. It was used to light dry fire wood.

(C) Cuba TV, Cuban state owned media.
[1] Url: https://www.canalcaribe.icrt.cu/en/a-watchman-at-the-entrance-of-the-bay-the-castle-of-the-three-kings-of-morro/

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