The fortress is named after San Cristobal whose name means “one who carries Christ”, also known as Cristoforo, which in Greek means “Christ carrier”. In Christian iconography this saint was known for his physical strength which resembled a giant, which probably accounted for why the fortress garnered that name. Apparently, the design was inspired by the fortress of San Fernando de Omoa,The building consists of a single rectangular nave with two facades, the main one has 3 access doors with wooden chargers and the other side has 4 windows. The structure was built with adobe and coatings of limestone and sand.
The Fortress of San Cristóbal is located on the highest part of the San Cristobal Mountain in the city of Gracias and is part of the institutional architecture used by the Honduran military.