Baluarte de Santiago
The only surviving bastion of the old city walls, built in 1635, with a small museum displaying treasures from the colonial era.
Veracruz was once surrounded by walls to defend against pirates. After the walls were torn down in the late 19th century, only this Baluarte de Santiago remained. The bastion is built of coral stone and has gun emplacements and watchtowers. Inside, a small museum displays a collection of colonial-era gold jewelry recovered from a shipwreck on the seabed, known as Las Joyas del Pescador. It is small, and a 30-minute visit is enough. Admission is inexpensive, and it is closed on Mondays. It is about a 10-minute walk from the central plaza.
Opening hours
Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00; closed Mondays
Nearby sights
- Naval Museum of Mexico
- Gran Café de la Parroquia
- Malecón of Veracruz
- Venustiano Carranza Lighthouse
- Cathedral of Veracruz
- Zócalo of Veracruz
- San Juan de Ulúa
- Veracruz Aquarium