Baluarte de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad

The Our Lady of Solitude Fortress is one of the most prominent fortresses within the city of San Francisco de Campeche.  Also called the Bastion of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, the historical building also serves as the Museum of Maya Architecture. It remains one of the most emblematic defensive structures in the town, but today people visit to learn about the long history of the Maya people before and after the arrival of the Spanish. 

This fort, like the Baluarte de San Carlos, helped to protect the city from the pirate attacks that plagued the city for most of the 17th and 18th centuries. As the city had grown into the most important port on the Yucatan Peninsula, the wealth grew more than a little attractive. Perhaps most famously, in 1663, Vice Admiral Sir Christopher Myngs led a fleet of some 14 ships with more than 1,400 men to attack the 150 Spanish left to defend the city. After two hours, the Spanish surrendered and the pirates left only two weeks, bearing now another 14 ships and basically everything they could fit inside them.   

This fort was one of eight protecting the old city and the main entrance to the harbor. It was re-purposed to house a museum in 1958. Today, the collection is especially focused on Maya architecture with exhibits centered around monoliths, stelae, and other architectural elements. These come from such sites those at Calakmul, and Edzná, as well as some other lesser known sites. Seeing these works outside of the actual sites seems to give many visitors an appreciation for the artifacts as architecture, rather than as mere parts of an abandoned city. 

The original building still boasts an irregular five-sided form with two floors. The upper floor is still surrounded by the original military installations. The views are exceptional and well worth the trip. But the fort and the museum are just the start of your adventure in Campeche.