Baluarte de San Carlos

This bastion was the first to be built as part of Campeche’s defensive system. It is dedicated to King Carlos II of Spain. The structure follows a pentagonal design, with walls about two and a half meters thick, built to resist cannon fire. It is also the only bastion that can be reached by a lateral ramp, a feature that made it unique among the eight bastions protecting the city. Today, the building houses the Museo de la Ciudad, the City Museum, founded in 1989. Inside, five exhibition rooms retrace the history of Campeche. Among the most valuable objects preserved here is the official title granting Campeche the status of a city, awarded by King Carlos III in 1777, along with a replica of a ship’s figurehead and several artifacts from the colonial period. The basement of the bastion, known as “El Pulguero,” once served as a prison, and local legends speak of secret tunnels connecting the different bastions of the city. But that is something you can discover for yourself if the museum happens to be open during your visit.