Old San Juan ( es, Viejo San Juan) is a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from cer ...

located at the "northwest triangle" of the islet of San Juan. Its area roughly correlates to the Ballajá, Catedral, Marina, Mercado, San Cristóbal, and

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

sub-barrios (sub-districts) of barrio

San Juan Antiguo San Juan Antiguo (not to be confused with the historic district of Old San Juan which is located within this district), is a barrio located in the municipality of San Juan in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. San Juan Antiguo has 7 subbarrios. ...

in the municipality of

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the ...

. Old San Juan is the oldest settlement within

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

and the

historic History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

colonial district of the city of San Juan. This historic district is a

National Historic Landmark District National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ...

and is listed on the

United States National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

as the Old San Juan Historic District. Several historical buildings and structures, particularly

La Fortaleza La Fortaleza (lit., "The Fortress" ) is the official residence of the governor of Puerto Rico. It was built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the harbor of San Juan. The structure is also known as Palacio de Santa Catalina (Saint Catherine's Palac ...

, the city walls, and El Morro and San Cristóbal castles, have been inscribed in the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

list since 1983. Historically the mixed use commercial and residential real estate in the main streets like Cristo Street, Fortaleza Street (north) from Tanca Street to the Governor’s Mansion is the most valuable in the area and it has kept its value and increased steadily through several years despite the past economic turmoils.

Location

Old San Juan is located on a small and narrow island which lies along the north coast, about from the east end of Puerto Rico, and is united to the

mainland Mainland is defined as "relating to or forming the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it egardless of status under territorial jurisdiction by an entity" The term is often politically, economically and/or dem ...

of Puerto Rico by three bridges. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and to the south by

San Juan Bay San Juan Bay ( es, Bahía de San Juan) is the bay and main inlet adjacent to Old San Juan in northeastern Puerto Rico. It is about in length, the largest body of water in an estuary of about of channels, inlets and eight interconnected lagoons ...

(or "Bahia de San Juan")—which lies between the city and the mainland. On a promontory (Spanish: ''morro'') about high, at the west end of the island and commanding the entrance to the harbor, rise the battlements of Fort San Felipe del Morro, in which there is a lighthouse. The "Caño de San Antonio" lies to the southeast, where the island of Old San Juan connects to the mainland through Santurce, by three bridges, "Puente Dos Hermanos" (Ashford Avenue), "Puente G. Esteves" ( Ponce de León Avenue) and "Puente San Antonio" (Fernández Juncos Avenue). The city is characterized by its narrow, blue

cobblestone Cobblestone is a natural building material based on cobble-sized stones, and is used for pavement roads, streets, and buildings. Setts, also called Belgian blocks, are often casually referred to as "cobbles", although a sett is distinct fr ...

streets, and flat-roofed brick and stone buildings, which date back to the 16th and 17th centuries—when Puerto Rico was a Spanish possession. Near Fort San Felipe del Morro, is the Casa Blanca, a palace built on land which belonged to the family of

Ponce de León Ponce may refer to: *Ponce (surname) * *Ponce, Puerto Rico, a city in Puerto Rico ** Ponce High School ** Ponce massacre, 1937 * USS ''Ponce'', several ships of the US Navy *Manuel Ponce, a Mexican composer active in the 20th century * British sla ...

History

Origins

In 1508,

Juan Ponce de León Juan Ponce de León (, , , ; 1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish explorer and ''conquistador'' known for leading the first official European expedition to Florida and for serving as the first governor of Puerto Rico. He was born in Santerv� ...

founded the original settlement, Caparra (named after the

Province of Cáceres The province of Cáceres ( ; es, provincia de Cáceres, ) is a province of western Spain, and makes up the northern half of the autonomous community of Extremadura. Its capital is the city of Cáceres. Other cities in the province include Pla ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

, birthplace of the then-governor of Spain's Caribbean territories,

Nicolás de Ovando Frey Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres (1460 – 29 May 1511 or 1518) was a Spanish soldier from a noble family and a Knight of the Order of Alcántara, a military order of Spain. He was Governor of the Indies ( Hispaniola) from 1502 until 1509, s ...

). The ruins of Caparra are known as the Pueblo Viejo sector of

Guaynabo Guaynabo (, ) is a city, suburb of San Juan and municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas, south of Cataño, east of Bayamón, and west of San Juan. Guaynabo is sprea ...

, behind the almost land-locked harbor just to the west of the present San Juan metropolitan area. In 1509, the settlement was abandoned and moved to a site which was called at the time "Puerto Rico" (meaning "rich port" or "good port"), a name that evoked that of a similar

geographical Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...

harbor in the island of

Gran Canaria Gran Canaria (, ; ), also Grand Canary Island, is the third-largest and second-most-populous island of the Canary Islands, an archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa which is part of Spain. the island had a population of that ...

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, :es:Canarias, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to ...

. In 1521, the name "San Juan" was added, and the newer settlement was given its formal name of "San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico", following the usual custom of christening the town with both its formal name and the name which

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

had originally given the islands, honoring

John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

Expansion and growth

Constructed in 1521, Casa Blanca served as the first fortification of the settlement and residence of

descendants, until the mid-eighteenth century. La Fortaleza was built between 1533 and 1540, which was followed by the construction of a battery at "the Morro." Plans for the castle portion of San Felipe del Morro were made in 1584. Extensions to the Morro, plus construction of

El Cañuelo EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...

, and El Boquerón, were made between 1599 and 1609.

Circumvallation Investment is the military process of surrounding an enemy fort (or town) with armed forces to prevent entry or escape. It serves both to cut communications with the outside world and to prevent supplies and reinforcements from being introduced ...

of the city commenced in 1630 and was concluded by 1641. San Cristobal fort was completed by 1771. By 1776, the population totaled 6000, half of which were soldiers. The garrison town of San Juan included 250 acres of military installations and 62 acres of public and private use. By 1781, the city's fortifications included 376 cannon. By 1876, 24,000 lived inside the walls of San Juan, encompassing 62 acres, and 926 buildings. Prior to the 19th century, the area outside the city walls occupying the east side of Old San Juan Island, was almost uninhabited. In 1838 the so-called area of

Puerta de Tierra Puerta de Tierra is a ''subbarrio'' (subdistrict) occupying the eastern portion of the Islet of San Juan and the ''barrio'' of San Juan Antiguo in the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The name Puerta de Tierra ( Spanish for ''land gate'') ...

(or "Land Gate") had a population of 168 residents, mainly of African descent. According to a census made in 1846, the population had risen to 223 inhabitants living in 58 houses. On March 3, 1865, the municipal government of San Juan approved a resolution promoting the city expansion across the Puerta de Tierra which included the plan for demolishing the city walls along the eastern side. On May 28, 1897, the wall demolition was officially started after a proclamation was issued by Queen Maria Christina. By the year 1899, the population of Puerta de Tierra had risen to 5,453; while the area comprising the old walled city had a civilian population of roughly 18,103 inhabitants.

Maintaining architectural integrity

During the late 1940s, disrepair in the old city was evident. The local authorities were considering development proposals for renovating the old city and incorporating modern architecture on new constructions. Anthropologist

Ricardo Alegría Ricardo E. Alegría Gallardo (April 14, 1921 – July 7, 2011) was a Puerto Rican scholar, cultural anthropologist and archaeologist known as the "father of modern Puerto Rican archaeology". Early years Alegría was born in San Juan, Puerto Ric ...

vehemently advised against the idea of razing old colonial buildings in favor of contemporary building designs. He followed the example suggested by his father, a local civic leader who had successfully prevented the demolition of the ''

Capilla del Cristo ''Capilla del Cristo'' (Chapel of Christ), also called is a small chapel / museum located in the Old San Juan Historic District of Puerto Rico. Built in the 18th century and saved from demolition in the 20th century, the structure has become a c ...

'' in favor of a traffic redesign. He advised mayor Rincón de Gautier in having local zoning laws changed to favor remodeling and the incorporation of Spanish colonial motifs in any new construction. This helped preserve the city's architectural profile, and has been a key to San Juan's current status as a tourist destination. Restaurant near Capilla del Cristo - San Juan, Puerto Rico.JPG, Restaurant with Capilla del Cristo seen in the background Old San Juan stepped alley, Puerto Rico.jpg, Traditional '' callejón'' in Old San Juan Plaza de Armas, San Juan, Puerto Rico.JPG, Plaza de Armas, San Juan Catedral de San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico - DSC06869.JPG, Cathedral of San Juan Bautista Puerta San Juan SJU 06 2019 8666.jpg, The San Juan Gate, main entrance to the walled city Buildings in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico - DSC07125.JPG, Traditional doors seen in Old San Juan Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery.jpeg, The old cemetery. Castillo San Felipe in the background Polo Norte viejo san juan puerto rico 2021-08-08 08-43-13 1.jpg, Polo Norte, Calle de Tetuan, Viejo San Juan, Puerto Rico

Luis Muñoz Marín José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín (February 18, 1898April 30, 1980) was a Puerto Rican journalist, politician, statesman and was the first elected governor of Puerto Rico, regarded as the "Architect of the Puerto Rico Commonwealth." In 1948 he ...

, as a senator and later as governor of Puerto Rico, supported and implemented what became known as

Operation Bootstrap Operation Bootstrap ( es, Operación Manos a la Obra) is the name given to a series of projects which transformed the economy of Puerto Rico into an industrial and developed one. The federal government of the United States together with what i ...

, which included the development of the tourism industry. In 1948 the government invited one of the organizers of Colonial Williamsburg to lead its tourism development efforts. These efforts were further supported by the 1955 creation of the

Institute of Puerto Rican Culture The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture ( es, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña), or ICP, for short, is an institution of the Government of Puerto Rico responsible for the establishment of the cultural policies required in order to study, preser ...

(''Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña'') head by Alegría. He sought legal and administrative changes that would allow for major remodeling efforts to be successful. At the time, most real estate in Old San Juan had devalued under appraised values because the city was perceived as unsafe (particularly because of building disrepair and social ills such as

prostitution Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...

) and not profitable for business (because of

rent control Rent regulation is a system of laws, administered by a court or a public authority, which aims to ensure the affordability of housing and tenancies on the rental market for dwellings. Generally, a system of rent regulation involves: *Price cont ...

statutes, as well as the reluctance of commercial banks to fund remodeling). Under combined efforts by the institute and the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico, "model" remodelings were made to show potential property owners how their renewed properties could look. Strict remodeling codes were implemented to prevent new constructions from affecting the common colonial Spanish architectural themes of the old city. As with other Operation Bootstrap projects, mainland corporate investors were lured in with tax breaks and other incentives. When a project proposal suggested that the old Carmelite Convent in San Juan be demolished to erect a new hotel, the Institute had the building declared a historic building, and asked that it be converted to a hotel in a renewed facility. As in other Operation Bootstrap projects, the Woolworth family was invited in 1957 to reconstruct the former convent (which had more recently been a low-rent apartment building and city garage) into the luxury ''

Hotel El Convento Hotel El Convento is a small hotel in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, in what was a Carmelite convent, adjoining the San Juan Cathedral square. The cathedral is the second-oldest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere. Hotel El Convento is the oldest me ...

''. The Bank provided low interest loans to remodelers, and the government gave triple tax exemptions to commercial activities in the old city (they were exempted for a limited time, not only from property taxes and municipal taxes, but from income tax from activities generated in their properties as well). At least one retailer from the shopping district in Charlotte Amalie was given incentives to set up shop in the ''Calle del Cristo'' (the city's red light district during the early 1940s) in order to persuade other retailers to follow suit and somehow "clean up" the district. Potential developers were offered sketches of their properties after a remodeling, as to suggest which architectural elements to improve or change. The paradigm to reconstruct and renovate the old city and revitalize it has been followed by other cities in Latin America, particularly

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of the central coastal part of ...

and

Cartagena de Indias Cartagena ( , also ), known since the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias (), is a city and one of the major ports on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region, bordering the Caribbean sea. Cartagena's past role as a link ...

Historic designations

Flag gate calle de la virtud viejo san juan puerto rico 2021-08-08 17-18-27 1

The

San Juan National Historic Site San Juan National Historic Site ( es, Sitio Histórico Nacional de San Juan) in the Old San Juan section of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a National Park Service-managed historic site which protects and interprets colonial-era forts such as Castill ...

was established in 1949 to preserve historic fortifications in Old San Juan. The historic site was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1966.

along with the

were then declared a

(United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) in 1983. The ''casco histórico'' (old city within the city walls) of San Juan was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places liste ...

in 2013.

Landmarks and attractions

La Fortaleza and the San Juan National Historic District sites

* San Cristóbal Castle (Spanish: '' Castillo San Cristóbal''), the largest fortification built by the Spanish in the Americas, which provided defense against both land-based and sea attacks by pirates and foreign powers during the colonial period. * San Felipe del Morro Castle (Spanish: ''

Castillo San Felipe del Morro Castillo San Felipe del Morro, also known as El Morro, is a citadel built between 16th and 18th centuries in San Juan, Puerto Rico.ww ...

'', or just ''El Morro''), a 16th century citadel in the northwestern edge of the islet that provided defense against foreign and pirate attacks during the Spanish colonization, also the site of a historic lighthouse. * Santa Catalina Palace, popularly known as

(Spanish for ''the fortress''), a former fortification and currently the official residence of the governor of Puerto Rico. It is the oldest executive residence in the Western Hemisphere. * The San Juan City Walls surround Old San Juan and it gives the city one of its nicknames, "La ciudad amurallada" (''the walled city''). About 3/4 of the city walls remain intact but only one of the city gates remain in existence. San Juan is one of the six cities under United States jurisdiction that possessed defensive walls and it is the only US city that still preserves its colonial defensive wall system.

Plazas and squares

Street art, statues in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Paseo de La Princesa Paseo de La Princesa (Spanish for ''Promenade of the Princess'') is a pedestrian promenade in San Juan, Puerto Rico located in the city's historic district. The promenade is lined with adorned lamp posts and extends for a quarter of a mile along ...

(Spanish for ''promenade of the princess'') is a famous promenade named after the former La Princesa Prison. It extends for a quarter of a mile and runs along the southern city wall of Old San Juan. It provides views of San Juan's city walls and San Juan Bay, and it is a popular location that becomes very lively during festivals and other cultural celebrations. A boardwalk at the end of the promenade connects it to Puerta de San Juan (the San Juan City Gate), formerly known as Puerta de Agua (Spanish for ''water gate''), the only remaining city gate. *

Plaza Colón Plaza Colón is the main plaza in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. This plaza and its fountain commemorate the explorer Christopher Columbus, whose name in Spanish was Cristóbal Colón. The plaza presents the traditional urban relationship ...

(Spanish for ''Columbus square'' or ''plaza'') is located in the eastern end of Old San Juan where the former eastern city walls used to be located. Originally named Santiago Square, the plaza is now a popular meeting place for locals and tourists as it is located next to famous landmarks such as the San Cristóbal castle and the Tapia Theater. * Plaza de Armas is the main town square of San Juan where several administrative buildings such as the historic

San Juan City Hall San Juan City Hall (Spanish: ''Casa de la Alcaldía de San Juan'', or just ''Alcaldía de San Juan'') is the seat of government for the Autonomous Municipality of San Juan in Puerto Rico. The city hall is located in Old San Juan, in front of the ...

are located. A '' plaza de armas'' is a large square often found in Spanish-founded cities across the Americas and the Philippines that were originally intended for military parades, hence the name "plaza de armas" (literally ''arms'' or ''weapons square''). * Plaza de la Catedral (English: ''Cathedral Square''), popularly known as Plazuela Las Monjas, is located south of Hotel El Convento and west of the main entrance to San Juan's cathedral. * Plaza de San José (English: ''San José Squar''e), formerly known as Plaza de Santo Domingo, is located next to San José Church. It is also a popular meeting place due to its location next to restaurants and other businesses important to Old San Juan's nightlife. The statue of Ponce de León located in the center of the square is famous for being built from melted British cannons obtained after

Sir Ralph Abercromby Lieutenant General Sir Ralph Abercromby (7 October 173428 March 1801) was a British soldier and politician. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-general in the British Army, was appointed Governor of Trinidad, served as Commander-in-Chief, Ir ...

's failed attempt to capture San Juan. *

Plaza del Quinto Centenario Plaza del Quinto Centenario (Spanish for 'Square of the Fifth Centenary'), also Plaza del V Centenario, popularly referred to as Plaza del Tótem ('Totem Square'), is a modern square in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, inaugurated in 1992 to commemorat ...

(English: Square of the Fifth Centenary) is a modern square built to commemorate the 500th year anniversary of San Juan and the European discovery of Puerto Rico and the Americas. The square is located next to the Ballajá Barracks and El Morro. * Plazuela de la Rogativa is a small plaza located close to La Fortaleza that is famous for the bronze sculpture of ''La Rogativa''. The sculpture, completed by

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

artist Lindsay Daen in 1971, portrays "La Rogativa" (Spanish for ''the pleading''), from a legend that says that the British invasion lead by Sir Abercromby was foiled thanks to a pleading procession lead by the bishop of San Juan and a group of women carrying torches. The story states that the British mistook the procession for Spanish reinforcements. * Parque de las Palomas (Spanish for ''park of the pigeons''), despite its name is a public plaza rather than a park located at the end of ''Calle del Cristo'' next to the

chapel A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common type ...

of the same name. In addition to the wonderful views of San Juan and the bay that this space offers, the plaza is famous, specially among children, for the numerous

pigeons Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

that live there. There are vendors who sell bird food to feed the pigeons.

Churches and religious buildings

* San Juan Cathedral, officially the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of

Saint John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

(Spanish: ''Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de San Juan Bautista''), the Catholic cathedral and one of the oldest buildings in Old San Juan. It is considered the oldest cathedral in the United States and the second oldest cathedral in the Americas (after the Santo Domingo Cathedral in the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

). It contains various

relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...

s and tombs, including that of

Juan Ponce de Leon ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, ...

. *

San José Church San José Church ( es, Iglesia de San José), located in Old San Juan within the historic colonial zone of the capital of Puerto Rico, is one of the first significant works of architecture on the island. The church is one of the earliest surviving ...

(Spanish: ''Iglesia de San José'') is one of the most important architectural landmarks of Old San Juan and the earliest surviving example of 16th century Spanish

Gothic architecture Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It ...

in the Americas. The church was closed for renovation for many years and it reopened for visitors and religious services in 2021. * Saint Francis of Assisi Church (Spanish: ''Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís'') is a Catholic parish church located in the

sub-barrio of Old San Juan. * Santa Ana Church (Spanish: ''Iglesia de Santa Ana'') is an often-missed historical 17th century church located on Tetuán Street. * Santo Cristo de la Salud Chapel (Spanish: ''Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud''), popularly known as

, a small 18th century chapel which was saved from demolition in the 20th century that has become a famous landmark and cultural symbol of Puerto Rico and its folklore. The chapel also houses a small museum.

Museums

* Casa Blanca (Spanish for ''white house'') is a house museum located in a historical fortification which was the official residence of Juan Ponce de León and his family. *

Casa Rosa Casa Rosa or Casa Rosada, also known as the Pink House, is a historic house located in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico Old San Juan ( es, Viejo San Juan) is a historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the islet of San Juan. Its are ...

(Spanish for ''pink house'') is a historical house and former military barracks which once housed a museum for traditional arts and crafts. Today it operates as a daycare center and cannot be visited without previous arrangements. *

Pablo Casals Museum The Pablo Casals Museum (Spanish: ''Museo Pablo Casals''), located on San José Square in Old San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a museum dedicated to the Catalan Puerto Rican cellist, composer and conductor Pablo Casals, who lived the last 17 ...

located in the former home of

Pablo Casals Pau Casals i Defilló (Catalan: ; 29 December 187622 October 1973), usually known in English by his Castilian Spanish name Pablo Casals,

dedicated to the famous composer and cellist which also contains his piano, some of his musical instruments and a media and music library. * The Puerto Rico National Gallery or

Galería Nacional Galería Nacional (National Gallery) located in Old San Juan within the historic colonial section of the capital of Puerto Rico, houses the largest collection of Puerto Rican paintings from the eighteenth century to the 1960s. The museum is locate ...

houses one of the largest collections of Puerto Rican paintings and it is located in a former

Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of ...

monastery. * The

Ballajá Barracks The Ballajá Barracks (''Cuartel de Ballajá'' in Spanish) is a historic building and former military barracks located in the Ballajá section of Old San Juan, in the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is located close to El Morro and its esplan ...

(Spanish: ''Cuartel de Ballajá'') were military barracks which now house several important museums such as

Museo de Las Américas Museo may refer to: * Museo, 2018 Mexican drama heist film * Museo (Naples Metro), station on line 1 of the Naples Metro * Museo, Seville, neighborhood of Seville, Spain {{disambiguation ...

(English: ''Museum of the Americas''), in addition to a library, music and dance schools, and spaces for cultural events.

La Perla

La Perla (Spanish for ''the pearl'') is a former shanty town or informal settlement located along the northern section of the historic San Juan city walls. Originally the site of slaughterhouses, the area was later settled by freed slaves and non-white servants in the 18th century. In the 20th century the community grew to become a neighborhood of Old San Juan and its reputation has recently transformed from a dangerous place into a cultural hub. It has appeared on films, literature, TV shows and

music videos A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...

Other places of interest

* Ateneo Puertorriqueño (Spanish for ''Puerto Rican Athenaeum'') is a cultural institution that often hosts cultural events. *El Mundo Building (Spanish: Edificio ''El Mundo'') is the former headquarters of the now defunct El Mundo newspaper. The building is a protected historic site and is famous for its architecture. *

is a small hotel located in a historical

Carmelite , image = , caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites , abbreviation = OCarm , formation = Late 12th century , founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel , founding_location = Mount Ca ...

convent (San José of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Monastery) next to the San Juan Cathedral. The building is of architectural importance and it is a member of

Historic Hotels of America Historic Hotels of America is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation that was founded in 1989 with 32 charter members; the program accepts nominations and identifies hotels that have maintained their authenticity, sense of pla ...

. *

Jose V. Toledo Federal Building and United States Courthouse The Jose V. Toledo Federal Building and United States Courthouse is a historic post office and courthouse located at Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of ...

is a historic post office building located in the south of Old San Juan famous for its

Spanish Colonial Revival The Spanish Colonial Revival Style ( es, Arquitectura neocolonial española) is an architectural stylistic movement arising in the early 20th century based on the Spanish Colonial architecture of the Spanish colonization of the Americas. In the ...

architecture. *Patio Español Building, also known as ''La Filarmonica'' building, is an eclectic Mission/Spanish revival-style building from 1937 which has been listed on the

since 2005. * Puerto Rico School of Plastic Arts and Design (Spanish: ''Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico'') is a tertiary

art school An art school is an educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, including fine art – especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. Art schools can offer elementary, secondary, post-second ...

founded by the

located in a historical building next to El Morro fortress. * San Juan Coast Guard Station is a

USCG The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...

station located in the port of San Juan close to the cruise ship docks. In addition to law enforcement its main purpose is to escorts of cruise ships and some

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...

assets entering and departing

. The former U.S. Custom House and the former arsenal located nearby are also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. *

Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery __NOTOC__ The Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery is a colonial-era cemetery located in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is the final resting place of many of Puerto Rico's most prominent natives and residents. Construction began in 1863 under ...

(Spanish: ''Cementerio Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis'') is a colonial-era cemetery located next to La Perla and El Morro. It is also the final resting place of numerous figures from Puerto Rico's history and culture such as nationalist leader

Pedro Albizu Campos Pedro Albizu Campos (September 12, 1891Luis Fortuño Janeiro. ''Album Histórico de Ponce (1692–1963).'' p. 290. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Imprenta Fortuño. 1963. – April 21, 1965) was a Puerto Rican attorney and politician, and the leading fi ...

, Puerto Rico statehood activist

José Celso Barbosa José Celso Barbosa Alcala (July 27, 1857 – September 21, 1921) was a Puerto Rican physician, sociologist and political leader. Known as the father of the statehood movement in Puerto Rico, Barbosa was the first Puerto Rican, and one of the ...

, and actors

José José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernac ...

and

Miguel Ferrer Miguel José Ferrer (February 7, 1955 – January 19, 2017) was an American actor. His breakthrough role was as Bob Morton in the 1987 film ''RoboCop''. Other film roles include Quigley in '' Blank Check'' (1994), Harbinger in ''Hot Shots! Part D ...

. *

Tapia Theater Tapia may refer to: Places * Tapia de Casariego, a town in Asturias, Spain * Villanueva de Tapia, a town and municipality in Málaga, Spain * Tapia, part of Lugoj in Timiş, Romania * Tapia, a city in Tucumán, Argentina Other uses * Tapia (tr ...

(Spanish: ''Teatro

Alejandro Tapia y Rivera Alejandro is the Spanish form of the name Alexander. Alejandro has multiple variations in different languages, including Aleksander (Czech, Polish), Alexandre ( French), Alexandros (Greek), Alsander ( Irish), Alessandro (Italian), Aleksandr (R ...

'') is the oldest free-standing theater in San Juan and one of the oldest theaters in the Caribbean. It is located on Plaza Colón. * The Old Casino (Spanish: '' Antiguo Casino de Puerto Rico'') is a former casino and current venue for cultural events and private weddings.

Today

With its abundance of shops, historic places, museums, open air cafés, restaurants, colorful homes, tree-shaded plazas, and its old beauty and

architectural Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings o ...

peculiarity, Old San Juan is a main spot for domestic and international tourism. The district is characterized by numerous public plazas, which are filled with local shops that sell traditional craftwork, sculptures and typical musical instruments. Moreover, Old San Juan is known for its historical churches, such as

and the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, which contains the tomb of the Spanish explorer and first European to discover modern day

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

. Tourists' main spot to visit at Old San Juan is Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a fort built by the Spaniards when settled on the Island. Besides the magnificent fort, tourists are drawn to La Perla, a colorful neighborhood outside of the historic city wall. Old San Juan is one of the two ''barrios'', in addition to Santurce, that made up the

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

of San Juan after 1864 and prior to 1951, in which the former independent municipality of

Río Piedras Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for " river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, ...

was annexed.

Blockhouses and subbarrios

The oldest parts of the district of Old San Juan remain partly enclosed by massive walls. Several defensive structures and notable forts, such as the Fort San Felipe del Morro, Castle of San Cristóbal, and ''el Palacio de Santa Catalina'' (also known as

), acted as the primary defense of the settlement which has been subjected to numerous attacks. La Fortaleza continues to serve also as the executive mansion for the

Governor of Puerto Rico The governor of Puerto Rico ( es, gobernador de Puerto Rico) is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and commander-in-chief of the Puerto Rico National Guard. The governor has a duty to enforce local laws, to co ...

. Many of the historic fortifications are part of

. Old San Juan's land area roughly correlates to the following subbarrios of barrio San Juan Antiguo: Ballajá, Catedral, Marina, Mercado, San Cristóbal, and San Francisco.

Public transportation

Old San Juan is the location for one of two transportation hubs serving Metropolitan San Juan. At one time, a free trolley provided limited service to Old San Juan seven days a week but is not available any longer. People get around the city on foot or by car. There have been plans to turn the historic district into a pedestrian-only zone, and to either rebuild the trolley system or build a new light-rail train system in the recent years.

Popular culture

Old San Juan is the setting for films, books, song lyrics and music videos, including the following: *

Noel Estrada Noel Epinanio Estrada Suárez (June 4, 1918 – December 1, 1979) was a Puerto Rican composer. He was the author of " En mi Viejo San Juan", a song "widely known around the world". Early years Estrada was born in the town of Isabela, Puerto ...

, a Puerto Rican composer, wrote the popular song "

En mi Viejo San Juan "En mi Viejo San Juan" (''In my Old San Juan'') is a composition by Puerto Rican composer and singer Noel Estrada. Interpreted by numerous singers and translated into various languages, the song is "widely known around the world". There are mus ...

" in 1943. The song has been recorded by over 1,000 times by artists around the world, including many Puerto Rican musicians such as Trio Vegabajeño,

Danny Rivera Danny Rivera (born 27 February 1945) is a singer and songwriter born in San Juan whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is well known in Puerto Rico for his political activism. In 2008, Rivera acquired Dominican Republic citizenship. After 12 ye ...

Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz Rivera (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. A three-time Grammy Award and six-time Latin Gr ...

Luis Miguel Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri (born 19 April 1970) is a Puerto Rican-born Mexican singer, often referred to as ''El Sol de México'' (The Sun of Mexico), which is the nickname his mother gave him as a child—"mi sol". Luis Miguel has sung in mu ...

José Feliciano José Montserrate Feliciano García (born September 10, 1945) () is a Puerto Rican musician, singer and composer. He recorded many international hits, including his rendition of the Doors' "Light My Fire" and his self-penned Christmas song " F ...

, among many others. * '' The Rum Diary'', a film starring

Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Awa ...

, based on Hunter S. Thompson's novel of the same name was filmed in Old San Juan; the film is set in the 1960s. *

United States of Banana ''United States of Banana'' (2011) is a postmodern allegorical novel by the Puerto Rican author Giannina Braschi. It is a cross-genre work that blends experimental theatre, prose poetry, short story, and political philosophy with a manifesto on ...

(2011), a geopolitical tragicomedy about

Puerto Rican independence Throughout the history of Puerto Rico, its inhabitants have initiated several movements to obtain independence for the island, first from the Spanish Empire from 1493 to 1898 and since then from the United States. A spectrum of pro-autonomy, ...

Giannina Braschi Giannina Braschi (born February 5, 1953) is a Puerto Rican poet, novelist, dramatist, and scholar. Her notable works include ''Empire of Dreams'' (1988), ''Yo-Yo Boing!'' (1998) ''and United States of Banana'' (2011). Braschi writes cross-genr ...

, has battle scenes set in old San Juan, including

, La Perla,

El Capitolio El Capitolio, or the National Capitol Building (''Capitolio Nacional de La Habana''), is a public edifice in Havana, the capital of Cuba. The building was commissioned by Cuban president Gerardo Machado and built from 1926 to 1929 under the ...

, El Morro, and El Escambron beach. * Music videos by

Luis Fonsi Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero (born April 15, 1978), known by his stage name Luis Fonsi (), is a Puerto Rican singer. He is known for multiple songs, one of them being "Despacito" featuring rapper Daddy Yankee. Fonsi received his first ...

Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo ...

Daddy Yankee Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, composer, and actor. Known as the " King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike, he is the artist who coined ...

Ricky Martin Enrique Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography spanning ...

Bad Bunny Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio (born March 10, 1994), known professionally as Bad Bunny, is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer. His musical style is defined as Latin trap and reggaeton. He rose to prominence in 2016 with his song "Diles", w ...

, and

are set in Old San Juan. The song

Despacito "Despacito" (; "Slowly") is a song by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi featuring Puerto Rican rapper and singer Daddy Yankee as the lead single from Fonsi's 2019 studio album '' Vida''. Released on January 12, 2017, the song was written by Fo ...

, which won

Latin Grammy Awards The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been ...

for

Record of the Year The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...

, Song of the Year, Best Urban Fusion/Performance, and

Best Short Form Music Video The Grammy Award for Best Music Video is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos. Hon ...

. The music video of "

" featured La Perla.

References

External links

''Ultimate Guide to Old San Juan,''
* . Retrieved 2008-04-24.

* ttp://urban-kibbutz.com/index.php?title=Real_Estate UrbanKibbutz (Old San Juan) {{DEFAULTSORT:Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Old San Juan Old San Juan ( es, Viejo San Juan) is a historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the islet of San Juan. Its area roughly correlates to the Ballajá, Catedral, Marina, Mercado, San Cristóbal, and San Francisco sub-barrios (s ...

History of San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan, Puerto Rico Districts of San Juan, Puerto Rico National Register of Historic Places in San Juan, Puerto Rico National Historic Landmarks in Puerto Rico Tourist attractions in San Juan, Puerto Rico World Heritage Sites in the United States Populated places established in 1509 City walls Busking venues Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Puerto Rico