Ilustración de las defensas de San Juan de Puerto Rico en el siglo XVI titulada “The 16th-century defences of San Juan, Puerto Rico”. Fue publicada en 2006 en la página 22 del libro “The Spanish Main 1492–1800” por René Chartrand (autor) y Donato Spedaliere (ilustrador).

Observe en la ilustración la configuración antigua del Morro, la ausencia de murallas alrededor de la isleta y los otros elementos defensivos numerados en la misma, indicados en la leyenda (en inglés) que reproducimos a continuación:

The 16th-century defences of San Juan, Puerto Rico

Según la descripción del libro en el portal de Osprey Publishing:

Following Columbus’s arrival in the Bahamas in 1492, the lands of the ‘new world’ were divided between Spain and Portugal. The riches gained by the Spaniards soon aroused the interest of the French and the English, eager to exploit the area they called the ‘Spanish Main’ (an area broadly encompassing the West Indies and the Central American and Mexican coast). In response, the Spanish fortified their new territories. The earliest examples were very much based on medieval styles of fortification, but over the following three centuries the fortifications were updated, modernized and improved according the latest European principles. This book describes the evolution of the fortifications and their fate.