Puerto Rico´s Fort Olimpo: paradigm of Montalembert´s defense system

Abstract

Puerto Rico began developing its fortifications in the middle of the 16th century until the end of the 19th century. The first defensive works in Puerto Rico followed the bastioned model.The emergence of rifled artillery, however, forced design modifications in the already constructed fortifications.  This gave way for a new defensive model developed from the theories of Montalembert, a model characterized by the elimination of geometrical factors, the utilization of simple forms, and the reduction in dimension of emplacements in elevated locations