Originally built by the Spanish in the 1740s as a fort to ward off pirates, today the Fortaleza La Polvora is a military museum and popular tourist stop in Granada. This sturdy medieval fortress consists of several lookout towers connected by stone walls with a huge arched main gate and the views from the tower make it worth the visit.
Visitors to Fortaleza La Polvora can wander the fortress grounds, browse the exhibits in the small museum, and enjoy panoramic views of the city of Granada, Lake Managua, and the Mombacho Volcano from the top of the fortress tower. Don’t miss the stack of old wooden barrels thought to be the original storage containers for the gunpowder the fortress was designed to protect. Visitors can also tour the prison cells and the various fortress quarters.
Fortaleza La Polvora is located at the end of one of Granada’s oldest streets, Calle Real Xalteva, in the western part of the city. To get there, head west on Calle Real Xalteva from Grenada’s central park for 0.8 miles (1.3 kilometers) and you’ll run directly into the fortress. Granada’s downtown is compact so it is easy to reach most landmarks by foot. Taxis are also an inexpensive and convenient way to get around Grenada.
Fortaleza La Polvora is generally open daily from 8am to 5pm, although it has no official opening hours. Visit at the end of the day as the sun is setting to capture the best photographs.
Known as Tope de Toro, Granada celebrates its own running of the bulls each year in August. The bulls are released from the Fortaleza La Polvora and make their way through the city streets before reaching the shores of the lake. Fortaleza La Polvora provides a great vantage point for watching the start of Tope de Toro. The event also features parades, bull riding competitions, and other activities.