The rusty cannons
A long row on the walls.
stanleyatala — CC BY 3.0 · stanleyatala — CC BY 3.0 · stanleyatala — CC BY 3.0 · stanleyatala — CC BY 3.0
Santa Bárbara Fortress is a Spanish fort on a bluff overlooking the Bay of Trujillo, on the Caribbean coast of Honduras. It keeps its rusting cannons and old stone walls, with two prominent mountains, Capiro and Calentura, behind, and it is among the main sights of this old city. The Spanish built it around 1550. Trujillo was the capital of Honduras under Spain until the capital moved to Comayagua because of its vulnerability. Columbus reached this coast on 14 August 1502, his first touch on the Central American mainland. The fort was not enough to stop pirates, and the town was destroyed several times between 1633 and 1797. You pass a small arched stone gate onto a wide lawn, with long rusty cannons lined along stone walls. In the middle are a building with a red roof and another restored among old walls, with a high green mountain behind. From the edge you see the bay and town. It is a small site and a short visit is enough. The fortress is 91.4 km in a straight line east of La Ceiba, in central Trujillo. Use trusted transport, as the road is long, and travel by day. Do not climb on the old cannons, and take care at the edge of the bluff. It is hot and humid, so bring water and a hat. Three Garifuna fishing villages lie on the beach nearby, so ask before taking photos.
A long row on the walls.
A small arch onto the lawn.
Green behind the fort.
Bluff above Trujillo Bay, Colón Department
Columbus reached it in 1502, and it was a capital under Spain.
No, the fort is small, and under an hour is enough.