El Baluarte in Veracruz, VZ is one of the original seven fortresses that were built to protect Veracruz from piracy. El Baluarte is also referred to as El Baluarte de Santiago or the Bastion of Santiago. This is one of the oldest buildings in Veracruz with its construction dating back to 1635 until it completion in 1654. If you look at this building closely, you can get an idea of the military architecture that was common at that time. The walls were built like forts with seven interlaced earth bastions, with the strongest ones located on the north and south ends of the building. The north part of the building was the powder depot. Today there is a museum in that part where 40 gold pieces are stored. These gold pieces, called Jewels of the Fisherman, were found years ago by a fisherman. The fisherman sold the gold to a jeweler and legend has it that this gold was involved with the Spaniards and the Aztec tribe.
The jewels (gold pieces) are the main attractions to the museum, but there are also other vaults that store many exhibits including lithography from Veracruz. Over 300 people per day visit the museum. Another valuable piece in the museum is the Chimalli, which is a gold jewel that is a symbol of an Aztec military shield. Many that come to the museum to view the treasures also take a walk on the drawbridge. This building is a true landmark and tells a lot about the history of Veracruz.
