The fishing village of Omoa, located near the city of San Pedro Sula, is one of the most interesting nooks of Honduras. It is very popular among tourists because there is a wonderful combination of nature and an interesting historical monument, an ancient fortress that has been preserved in good condition to this day.

In the 16-17th centuries, the small village of Omoa played an important role in the life of the country. Located on the seashore, land-rich for the cultivation of various crops and grazing, with a developed fishing industry, it attracted the attention of the colonialists. There they first built one of the largest ports in Honduras. Then they built a secure fortress that was designed to protect the borders of the territory.

The Fortaleza de San Fernando was being erected from 1759 till 1775 by order of the Spanish King Fernando VI to protect the land from French and English pirates. The Spaniards traded silver. So, it was important for them to create a secure fortress in which they could store precious metals and repel enemy attacks if necessary.

At that time it was a grandiose project: the size and equipment of the fortress had no analogs on the entire continent. Even today it is the largest fortress in Central America and the second largest in Latin America.

Before the fortress appeared on the coast, there was a fairly large Indian village. However, the Spanish conquerors decided that people could live elsewhere. So, they expelled all the inhabitants and destroyed their homes. Those who opposed the new regime were sent to forced labor, in particular, to build the fortress.

The Fortaleza de San Fernando withstood many raids and sieges. It was actively used until the 1820s, while there was a strong Spanish influence on the coast. Gradually, the need for fortifications came to naught as Honduras gained independence. So, the fortress became a national heritage which attracts a huge number of tourists.