Castillo San Felipe del Morro, most commonly known as El Morro, is a large fortress and citadel in the Old San Juan historic quarter of San Juan, the capital city and municipality of Puerto Rico. Commissioned by King Charles I of Spain in 1539, it was first built as a fortified tower in honor of King Philip II, who oversaw its expansion into a hornwork bastion fort by 1595. Over the next 200 years, especially in the reign of King Charles III, El Morro continued to be developed to reach its current form in 1787. Rising 43 metres (140 ft) from the Atlantic shoreline with 5.5 to 7.6 metres thick walls, the six-leveled edifice stands on a steep, rocky headland promontory on San Juan Islet guarding the entry to San Juan Bay, the harbor of Old San Juan. El Morro, alongside La Fortaleza, San Cristóbal, El Cañuelo, and other forts part of the Walls of Old San Juan, protected strategically and militarily important Puerto Rico, or La Llave de las Indias, from invasion by competing world powers during the Age of Discovery and Sail. It was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983.
The Spanish-held Castillo San Felipe del Morro in San Juan, Puerto Rico having been besieged for fifteen days, surrenders to an English force under Sir George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland.
On June 30, in the year 1598, The Spanish-held Castillo San Felipe del Morro in San Juan, Puerto Rico having been besieged for fifteen days, surrenders to an English force under Sir George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of June 30, one of 393 recorded events on this date across all of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on June 30, 1598 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 4 Wikipedia articles.
- The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
- Wikipedia source last updated on 11 May 2026.
On This Date in History 393
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More on June 30
A Tajik citizen with ISIS connections, wanted in Tajikistan for murder and kidnapping, kills two people at Chișinău Inte
Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is its capital and most populous city with a population of 1.24 million people…
A Tajik citizen with ISIS connections, wanted in Tajikistan for murder and kidnapping, kills two people at Chișinău Inte
The Tiger Fire ignites near Black Canyon City, Arizona, and goes on to burn 16,278 acres (6,587 ha) of land before being
The Tiger Fire was a wildfire that burned 16,278 acres (6,587 ha) in the U.S. state of Arizona from June to July 2021. The fire was caused by a dry lightning strike in the Prescot…
The Tiger Fire ignites near Black Canyon City, Arizona, and goes on to burn 16,278 acres (6,587 ha) of land before being
The Hong Kong National Security Law is passed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and immediatel
The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is a national law of China on Hong Kong national securit…
The Hong Kong National Security Law is passed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and immediatel
Donald Trump becomes the first sitting US President to visit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)
Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the …
Donald Trump becomes the first sitting US President to visit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)
A Hercules C-130 military aircraft with 113 people on board crashes in a residential area in Medan, Indonesia, resulting
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and l…
A Hercules C-130 military aircraft with 113 people on board crashes in a residential area in Medan, Indonesia, resulting
Nineteen firefighters die controlling a wildfire near Yarnell, Arizona
The Yarnell Hill Fire was a wildfire near Yarnell, Arizona, ignited by dry lightning on June 28, 2013. On June 30, it overran and killed 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshot…
Nineteen firefighters die controlling a wildfire near Yarnell, Arizona
Comments 0
Sign in to join the discussion.