The San Carlos Fortress (in Spanish: Fortaleza de San Carlos) is a fort in the city of Perote, in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is also known as the Fort of San Carlos, Perote Castle, the Castle of San Carlos, Perote Prison, San Carlos de Perote Fortress, and San Carlos de Perote Castle.
The fortress was built from 1770 to 1776 by Manuel de Santisteban as a guard post and repository for treasure prior to shipment to Spain.[1] After the Mexican War of Independence, the remaining Spanish colonial troops garrisoned in the neighboring castle of San Juan de Ulúa, prompting General Guadalupe Victoria to create, on 11 October 1823, the first military college in the new country: the Perote Military College.[2]
During the Mexican-American War, the prisons at the fort were used to hold Texan prisoners of war.[3] After it was captured by the Americans they garrisoned it as post to protect their line of communications between Vera Cruz and Mexico City from guerrillas.
After Mexico declared war against the Axis alliance, at the very end of the Second World War, it served as prison for German and Italian citizens.[4]
The fortress became a state prison from 1949 to March 2007[4] and is now open to the public.