Fort San Lorenzo — Attraction in Cristóbal

Real Life ruins of Spanish Fortress built in XVI and XVII to defend the strategic Isthmus of Panama against the Pirates. Attacked and taken 1671 by Morgan s Pirates before sacking and burning Panama City on the other side of the Chagres River.

If you are an history buff this visit is a must. You arrive via de Sherman Road from Colon City. The road is in decent condition most of the way and you can see local wildfile if your are lucky on the road. The site itself is well kept thanks for the Patronato del Fuerte San Lorenzo y Portobello. There is an entrance fee of 5 dolars for international visitors and 3 for local resident visitors. Restroom facilites and parking. There is a video introduction that gives you info on the Fort. Picnic tables also available on the back of the promotory overlooking Chagres River.

The site itself in on top of a high coral reef with a commanding view of the Chagres River. You can understand why Bautista Antonelli, the premier Italian architect for Spanish Fortifications of the 16th century chose the site.

If you are very still and listen to the wind, You can almost hear the Spanish soldiers shouting the each other ¨Fuego¨! as they fired their cannons against Morgan s pirates in that January morning of 1671 when the fort was taken, all this while looking out...

I grew up in a town called Gatun, next to Gatun Locks. We visited Fort San Lorenzo often. We climbed all over it, snorkeled in the waters at the base of the cliffs. There is a huge mass of cannonballs fused together by 200 years or more salt water. Little did we know that there was a sunken Spanish ship off shore, hidden by the sandbar at the mouth of the river. In the shallows and on the beach below the river side of the fort we found mules teeth, broken 1800's crockery, musket balls, old nails, and occasionally more rarer stuff.

The cliffs below rhe fort were embedded with iron splinters even back then. The Cannons are still there. One carries the crest of the King of Spain.

The fort overlooks the mouth of the Chagres River which was part of the journey to the Pacific Coast. On the other side of the river was a beach stretching for miles and miles. Now, because of a lack of sand replenishment due to the damming of the river, years of sand robbing, and sea level rise, the retreat of the shorelines near the river have been amazing...

I visited this fort last week from Colon City by taxi. Once I got out of the taxi and it started leaving (left), Ms. Anjuries, a wonderful park staff member, ran after me anxiously. I did not understand her due to the language barrier, so she called Ms. Nairobi, another wonderful park staff member who is bilingual. Ms. Nairobi told me that there were no taxis available to go back because it is a remote place. Ms. Anjuries then called a taxi for me and informed that it would take about an hour to see the fort and the taxi would arrive within that time. I thanked both staffs and went into the fort.

Since I arrived at 8:30 AM, there were only 3 or 4 other tourists, and I was able to explore the entire fort in peace. The view of the Chagres River and the Atlantic Ocean from the fort is breathtaking. I completed my visit within an hour, and the taxi driver arrived just on time for my return.

TIP: If you go by taxi, ask the driver to wait for an hour.

Thanks to Ms. Anjuries and Ms. Nairobi for their...