Baluarte de Santa Rosa

The Baluarte de Santa Rosa, in Campeche

The Baluarte de Santa Rosa is one of the bastions of the fortifications of Campeche, dedicated to Saint Rose of Lima. The Campeche audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this pentagonal work of dressed stone, erected to protect the city from pirates, endowed with a cistern and surveillance posts, that shelters today the Pinacoteca Campechana, a gallery devoted to local artists.

History

This bastion is dedicated to Saint Rose of Lima, venerated in the colonies, notably for her protection against pirates; it is thus a symbol of protection and resistance. Of pentagonal form, it is an imposing structure built in dressed stone and in sahcab, a local mortar. Inside, a patio endowed with a cistern allowed the storage of water for the garrisons, and three garitones, surveillance posts, were strategically placed to spot any threat. In 1766, eleven iron cannons were ready there to defend the city. Built at the end of the eighteenth century, it was the second bastion erected to protect Campeche from pirate attacks. Today, the Baluarte de Santa Rosa shelters the Pinacoteca Campechana, an art gallery that exhibits the works of local artists. The bastion no longer defends the city, but it remains a place of memory and a living cultural centre.

What to see

Here you visit a pentagonal bastion of the fortifications of Campeche, dedicated to Saint Rose of Lima, built in dressed stone and sahcab, endowed with a cistern and watch posts to defend the city from pirates; it shelters today the Pinacoteca Campechana, art gallery of the local creators. The Baluarte de Santa Rosa combines defensive memory and cultural life. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Baluarte de Santa Rosa stands in the historic centre of Campeche, reachable on foot; it shelters the Pinacoteca Campechana. The access and the hours follow the conditions in force, which vary. It is best to enquire before coming.

What does the Baluarte de Santa Rosa shelter in Campeche?

This pentagonal bastion of the fortifications, dedicated to Saint Rose of Lima and built in dressed stone and sahcab to protect the city from pirates, shelters today the Pinacoteca Campechana, an art gallery that exhibits the works of local artists; it preserves its original cistern and surveillance posts.

Where is the Baluarte de Santa Rosa in Campeche?

In the historic centre of Campeche, in Mexico.