Colón Province - Panama - page 407

PORTOBELO'S TOP FIVE ESCAPES
» Take a water taxi to Puerto Francés for private swims and jungle hikes.
» Snorkel around Spanish cannons encrusted in the coral landscape.
» Kayak on the tranquil Río Claro.
» Watch a sunset from El Fuerte de San Fernando.
» Join a Congo dance workshop and sweat to cool African rhythms.
Sights
Fuerte San Fernando FORT
In 1601 Fuerte San Félipe and Fuerte San Diego were built near the mouth of the
bay, but were subsequently destroyed by Admiral Vernon in 1739. Fuerte San Fernando
was later built over the ruins. American engineers dismantled much of the fort later, us-
ing its walls to create the breakwater protecting the northern end of the Panama Canal.
Boats can be hired from the water's edge (US$4 per person round trip) to bring you
across the bay to the fort.
Fuerte Santiago FORT
OFFLINE MAP
Approaching from the west, the first fort is Fuerte Santiago. Built after Vernon's
attack, some walls were 3m thick, made entirely of cut coral. Known to the Spaniards as
'reef rock,' coral was a popular building material since it's easily shaped, tough as gran-
ite yet light as pumice. Ruins include officers' quarters, artillery sheds, a sentry box, bar-
racks and watchtowers.
After a recent mudslide, some coral walls had to be replaced with cement reinforce-
ments.
Fuerte San Jerónimo FORT
OFFLINE MAP
Fuerte San Jerónimo, closer to Portobelo center, was the largest fortress ever built
to protect the bay. Eighteen cannon embrasures face the mouth of the bay, some exactly
where the Spanish troops left them in 1821, the year Panama declared independence.