Construction on Fort San Pedro was commenced in 1565 by the Spanish conquistador, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. Legazpi named the fort after the San Pedro, the ship in which he had crossed the Pacific to the Philippines.
Fort San Pedro provided protection against marauding Moro pirates from the south, and later served as a prison for Cebuano rebels.
At first Fort San Pedro was just a wooden pallisade; later it was replaced by a formidable stone structure with walls 6 meters high and 2.5 meters thick.
During the last days of World War II the Fort was very badly damaged, but in 1968 the ruins were underwent restoration. Today Fort San Pedro has a charming little park, where people come to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown Cebu.
There is also a small museum in the Fort.
