The San Cristóbal fortress is located in the city of
Gracias
Gracias () is a small Honduran town/municipality that was founded in 1536, and is the capital of Lempira Department.
The municipality has a population of 61,421 and the town a population of 18,550 (2023 calculation). It is located in the moun ...
, department of Lempira, built on a small hill above the city, which was formerly the center of the town of Gracias Lempira, which was once the capital of
New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( ; Nahuatl: ''Yankwik Kaxtillan Birreiyotl''), originally the Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain. It was one of several ...
and headquarters of the ''Real Audiencia de los Confines'' in 1544; Gracias was a strategic city within the Province of
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
in the colonial era, then in the pro-independence era and then in the Central American federal transition.
History
Background
The first building of Spanish origin was built in the seventeenth century, on the hill "San Cristóbal", and of which two cannons with the emblem of
Carlos IV of Spain
Charles IV (; 11 November 1748 – 20 January 1819) was King of Spain and ruler of the Spanish Empire from 1788 to 1808.
The Spain inherited by Charles IV gave few indications of instability, but during his reign, Spain entered a series of disa ...
are preserved.
In 1850 the fort was rebuilt by order of
Juan Lindo, fearing an invasion from
Guatemala
Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
. But it was not until 1863 that the works of the present fort began, which was concluded between 1875 and 1876, in the administration of Captain General
José María Medina. Its purpose was to defend the city from its strategic point of invasion by enemy armies. From its walls painted in white were placed the firearms and cannons that defended the perimeter. It has several watchtowers, and in the center rests the command headquarters, powder magazine, hospital, etc.
During the second Honduran civil war of 1924, on February 7, the city of Gracias fell into the hands of rebel forces under the command of officers General
Vicente Tosta Carrasco and General Gregorio Ferrera. In 1959 there was a rebellion between the commanders of the Third Military Zone of
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
that included the departments of Copán, Lempira, Ocotepeque and
Santa Bárbara. The headquarters was in the city of Santa Rosa de Copán, but rebel officers transferred it to Gracias and took Fort San Cristóbal as a defensive bastion.
Tourism
The 19th century monument is open to the national and foreign public,
and in this rests the tomb of the president of Honduras,
Juan Nepomuceno Fernández Lindo y Zelaya and whose commemorative plaque contains the following legend: "You can be a hated ruler of your time But if you want the vote of future generations to favor you, Open schools! Juan Lindo".
Gallery
File:Fuerte San Cristóbal Gracias Honduras 02.jpg, Frontal view from the outside structure.
File:Fuerte San Cristóbal Gracias Honduras 04.jpg, Main entrance.
File:Fuerte San Cristóbal Gracias Honduras 07.jpg, Frontal view of the main building.
File:Fuerte San Cristóbal Gracias Honduras 15.jpg, Left side section.
File:Fuerte San Cristóbal Gracias Honduras 12.jpg, View of the right side section.
File:Fuerte San Cristóbal Gracias Honduras 13.jpg, Vigilance Towers.
File:Fuerte San Cristóbal Gracias Honduras 20.jpg, Corridor.
See also
*
History of Honduras
Honduras was inhabited by many indigenous peoples when the Spanish introduced the wheel to them, in the 16th century. The western-central part of Honduras was inhabited by the Lencas, the central north coast by the Jicaque people, Tol, the a ...
*
Santa Bárbara Fortress
*
Fortaleza de San Fernando
References
{{coord, 14.5886, -88.5845, type:landmark_region:HN, display=title
Fortifications in Honduras