Tres Reyes del Morro's Castle

The Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro sits on a rocky promontory at the eastern entrance of Havana Bay and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage site protecting colonial Havana. Built by the Spanish in the late 16th century to defend the bay against pirates and rival fleets, the fortress was partly a direct response to Francis Drake's raids across the Caribbean. Despite its imposing design, it fell to a British siege in 1762, remaining under British control until Spain recovered Havana through the Treaty of Paris. The castle now operates as a museum, open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, where visitors can explore colonial-era weaponry, navigational charts, and fortification engineering. The upper ramparts deliver a sweeping panorama of the harbor entrance, the Malecón, and the open Caribbean Sea.