Garita del Diablo: the missing sentry and the ghosts of the old fort (6 photos + 1 video)

Fort San Cristobal in Old San Juan is the largest Spanish fortification in the New World. Although it is often overshadowed by the more famous El Morro, it is home to one of the most mysterious landmarks, the Garita del Diablo (Devil's Watchtower).





Most of the fortifications surrounding Old San Juan in Puerto Rico have sentry boxes (guard posts). One of the sentry boxes at Fort San Cristobal is known as the Garita del Diablo. This guardhouse, built in 1634, is one of the oldest parts of the military fort. Legend has it that soldiers often disappeared from it. This guardhouse is located further than the others, hanging over the ocean. Because of its isolation and the eerie sounds that could be heard at night, soldiers did not like to stand guard here.



One of the most important and certainly the most impressive of the fortifications was the San Cristobal Castle. It protected the city from attacks from land. Its construction began in the late 17th century and was completed in the late 18th century.





Every night the guards called out to each other to make sure everyone was at their posts. But one day, a soldier named Sanchez, who was stationed at Garita del Diablo, did not answer. By morning, there was no trace of him, only his rifle and uniform. His superstitious comrades decided that the devil had taken him. And so a legend was born.



Some locals believed in a more romantic version: Sanchez fell in love with a girl named Diana. Her stepmother and the soldier's superiors were against their relationship, and one night the couple simply ran away. Diana brought him civilian clothes, and the lovers disappeared into the Sierra de Trujillo mountains. No one ever saw them again.



Today, Garita del Diablo is closed to the public, but it can be seen from the ramparts. They say that if you approach it at night, you can hear a guitar and laughter. Either the ghosts of lovers cooing about their own, or Sanchez himself mocking the devilish legend of his disappearance. Be it death, love, or mystery, the veil hiding the truth about the history of the devil's house remains untouched.