What to See
San Felipe Castle
The historical background of San Felipe Castle dates back to the 16th century. The discovery of America, its colonisation and the first struggles for the dominion of the Atlantic Ocean, gave the port of Ferrol a great strategic importance: the problem of sheltering and supplying the navies of the Kings of the House of Austria was raised. Consequently, the study and creation of a support infrastructure was undertaken, as the constant threats both by sea and by land to this old Naval Base forced the need for its defence and the development of a fortification system over the mouth of the estuary. Around 1589, at the initiative of Philip II, construction began on the first "castle", which was called San Felipe in honour of the King's Patron Saint. Part of this primitive work is still preserved, integrated into the 18th century construction, which has since been renovated. Around the same time, two more castles were built on the opposite bank of the canal. Further east, the castle of Nuestra Señora de La Palma, named after the chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. And to the west, the castle of San Martín, so named in homage to Martín de Padilla, adelantado of Castile in those years. The ruins of the bastioned area of the latter construction are still preserved today, but at that time, the layout of these three castles at such a strategic point on the estuary provided a defence capable of protecting the military installations against foreseeable enemy attacks, both by land and by sea, as the castles formed a dangerous and insurmountable triangle of fire. They also allowed a chain to be placed between the castle of San Felipe and the castle of San Martín to prevent enemy