Fort San Pedro

Fuerte de San Pedro

The oldest and smallest Spanish triangular fort in the Philippines, built by Legazpi in 1565. Its coral-stone walls enclose a small museum and gardens, and it is a five-minute walk from Magellan's Cross.

Fort San Pedro stands beside Plaza Independencia at the edge of Cebu's port. Spanish conquistador Legazpi first built it as a wooden stockade in 1565, when he founded the Cebu colony. It is the first and oldest Spanish fort in the Philippines. The surviving triangular fort of coral stone was completed in 1738. Its three bastions are named after the Virgin Mary, St. Michael and St. Ignatius. The walls are 6 meters high and 2.4 meters thick, and the fort covers about 2,000 square meters, making it the smallest fort in the Philippines. It has served as a Spanish barracks, a base for revolutionary forces in 1898, an American barracks, a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp, a school and a zoo. It was restored as a historical park in 1968. Inside, a small museum displays artifacts from the Spanish era, old photographs, porcelain recovered from shipwrecks and material on Magellan's expedition. The courtyard is a shady garden, and climbing the walls offers views over Cebu's port and the plaza. Admission is about ₱30–40, and it is open from 8:00 to 19:00. Within walking distance are Plaza Independencia (with monuments to Legazpi and Magellan), Magellan's Cross and the Basilica del Santo Niño (5 minutes), the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the historic Colon Street (the oldest street in the Philippines) and the Heritage of Cebu Monument. Together they make a 2–3 hour old-town walk. Note: the fort is small, so 15–30 minutes is enough. Treat it as one stop on the old-town route. Evenings are when local couples and photographers gather. The port area can be crowded and rough at night, so keep an eye on your belongings.

Fort San Pedro

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