The municipality of El Castillo is remote from major population centers, with dense vegetation and adverse weather conditions. The topographic features include hilly soil, with good conditions for agriculture and livestock. The village is situated in a tropical rainforest climate, with wet weather conditions. The average temperature is about 25°C, and annual rainfall ranges from 2,800 to 4,000 mm. To the north of El Castillo municipality is the municipality of Bluefields. To the south is the Republic of Costa Rica, to the east is the municipality of San Juan de Nicaragua and to the west is the municipality of San Carlos. The county seat is located 350 km from the city of Managua. The total area is 1,656 km2 (639.4 sq mi).

The municipality of El Castillo began with the construction of the Fortress of the Immaculate Conception on the southern bank of the San Juan River, approximately 6 kilometers from the present-day border with Costa Rica. This was part of a series of fortifications built along the San Juan River in order to defend against pirate attacks upon the city of Granada (which can be reached by navigating upstream from the Caribbean Sea along the San Juan River into Lake Nicaragua). Construction of the fortress, initially named Fortaleza de la Limpia Pura e Inmaculada Concepción (now known as the Castillo de la Inmaculada Concepción, or Fortress of the Immaculate Conception), was begun on March 10, 1673, and completed in 1675. The chosen site was the site of the present-day village of El Castillo. Despite the construction of the fortress, buccaneer William Dampier plundered the city and set it on fire on April 8, 1685.

When someday comes you'll need to get in.

When someday comes you'll need to be able to get around.