The Parque Historico Militar encompasses two of Havana's famous fortresses: the Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, also known as El Morro, and Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana. Presiding over the entrance of the Bay of Havana, El Morro was built in the late 16th century and early 17th century to fend off pirates and looks much the same as it did back then. The lighthouse was replaced with one of stone in the middle of the 19th century, but its original lamp still shines out to sea. Visitors can ascend to the top of the fort to admire the impressive views of the ocean and city.
A short stroll from El Morro, Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana, constructed in the 1770s, was the biggest fort the Spanish ever built, as well as the most expensive. The fort became a military prison during the Batista regime and was later used as the headquarters for Che Guevara after the Revolution. Visitors can explore the museums here, which trace the history of this fascinating fort, but the most popular time to visit is at night when actors dressed in 19th-century costumes perform Ceremonia del Cañonazo, a cannon-firing ceremony at 9pm.
