Ilustración de las defensas de San Juan de Puerto Rico en el siglo XVI titulada “The 16th-century defences of San Juan, Puerto Rico”. Fue publicada en 2006 en la página 22 del libro “The Spanish Main 1492–1800” por René Chartrand (autor) y Donato Spedaliere (ilustrador).

Ilustración por Donato Spedaliere publicada en el libro “The 16th-century defences of San Juan, Puerto Rico” por René Chartrand.

Observe en la ilustración la configuración antigua del Morro, la ausencia de murallas alrededor de la isleta y los otros elementos defensivos numerados en la misma, indicados en la leyenda (en inglés) que reproducimos a continuación:

The 16th-century defences of San Juan, Puerto Rico

  1. The Casa Blanca (White House) built c.1523.
  2. La Fortaleza built c. I539-40.
  3. The tower of EI Morro built c. I539-40.
  4. The water battery built c.1539-40.
  5. The Santa Elena battery built c.1586.
  6. The Hornwork built in 1589. It included two half-bastions, a ravelin and a moat.
  7. Magazine.
  8. Guard house.
  9. Water cistern.
  10. Battery facing the sea.
  11. Food and munitions magazine.
  12. Battery facing the harbour entrance.

Libro “The Spanish Main 1492–1800”

Según la descripción del libro en el portal de Osprey Publishing:

Following Columbus’s arrival in the Bahamas in 1492, the lands of the ‘new world’ were divided between Spain and Portugal. The riches gained by the Spaniards soon aroused the interest of the French and the English, eager to exploit the area they called the ‘Spanish Main’ (an area broadly encompassing the West Indies and the Central American and Mexican coast). In response, the Spanish fortified their new territories. The earliest examples were very much based on medieval styles of fortification, but over the following three centuries the fortifications were updated, modernized and improved according the latest European principles. This book describes the evolution of the fortifications and their fate.

El libro “The Spanish Main 1492–1800” está disponible en línea en Amazon o en Osprey Publishing.

Fuente: Libro “The Spanish Main 1492–1800” vía Puerto Rico Historic Building Drawings Society (PRHBDS)