The only access point for seafarers to reach the walled city of Campeche was via this tall stone gateway. It has stood sentry over the city since the 1600s.
Look through a portal into Campeche’s old city limits when you visit the Sea Gate. Known locally as Puerta de Mar, the historic entryway is one of Campeche’s four old city gates and directly faces Puerta de Tierra (the Land Gate). Admire the gate’s centuries-old façade and imagine how the imposing wall would have appeared when it fully enclosed the old city limits.
Follow the Old City Wall to its ocean-facing entryway. With a height of 26 feet (7.9 meters) and a thickness of 10 feet (3 meters), the walls offered protection to the townspeople from the pirates that once roamed the seas. For two centuries, the Sea Gate was one of just four entry and exit points for the city. Partially destroyed in the 19th century, the Sea Gate has been meticulously reconstructed to how it would have appeared during these years of piracy and sea battles.
Look up at the Sea Gate’s tall archway, which features its original carved-stone galleon. On the doorway you can see the remains of the stone gargoyle that once surveyed the seas. See if you can spot the remains of the ladders that formerly gave the sentries access to the guardhouse on top. During the 1800s, the archway had two adjoining rooms and an arcade.
Stand in the center of the archway to look through the streets of the old city of Campeche to the Puerta de Tierra on the other side. Get a different perspective of the city by walking around the old city limits along the length of the wall. At Baluarte San Juan you’ll get breathtaking views across the old and new city.
The Sea Gate is located on Campeche’s Ruta de los Baluartes (Bastions Route). The gateway is free to visit at any time of the day and is best explored as part of a self-guided walking tour around the old city. Many of the city’s historic landmarks and attractions can be found within the walls of the old city.
