Paseo de La Princesa (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

for ''Promenade of the Princess'') is a pedestrian

promenade An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cl ...

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 juri ...

located in the city's historic district. The promenade is lined with adorned lamp posts and extends for a quarter of a mile along the southern city walls of Old San Juan. It is named after the former La Princesa Prison which is now a historic building that houses the

Puerto Rico Tourism Company The Puerto Rico Tourism Company ( es, Compañía de Turismo de Puerto Rico, or simply ''Turismo'') is the government-owned corporation in charge of tourism matters and regulations in Puerto Rico. The company was created during Governor Luis A. F ...

. The site hosts street vendors, a restaurant and magnificent views of Old San Juan and its bay.

Overview

The Paseo de La Princesa is often described as one of the most scenic city walkways in the world and, due to its location close to the cruise ship harbor, it is often the starting point for sightseeing in

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 ...

. The ''Raíces'' Fountain located on a plaza at the western end of the promenade is a fountain which contains sculptures that represent and celebrates the ethnic roots of the Puerto Rican identity: the

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

culture brought by the

and other settlers, the

African culture African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

brought by the African slaves and the native Taino culture. This plaza also hosts a small wooden dock that offers great views of

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 ...

, El Yunque and the

Sierra de Luquillo The Sierra de Luquillo is a mountain range located in the northeastern part of Puerto Rico. Also known as the Luquillo Mountains, these are steep-sided, densely-forested mountains rising to elevations of around , the highest point being the summit ...

to the east, and of other municipalities such as Cataño and Bayamón to the west. The iconic Puerta de San Juan (English: ''San Juan Gate'') is the only remaining city gate and it is found close to the western edge of the promenade. This city gate was originally called the Puerta de Agua (Spanish for ''water gate'') because it offered access to San Juan's harbor. Today the gate also offers access to

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 Capilla del Cristo and the ''Parque de las Palomas''. There is also a newly built waterside walkway that continues along the city walls towards El Morro. Other landmarks and attractions are the Americas Heritage Fountain, the San Justo y Pastor Bastion, the La Concepción Bastion, and a playground for children. The promenade also hosts an open air café and a restaurant that serves traditional Puerto Rican food called ''Princesa Gastrobar''. Piraguas, piña coladas and '' platanutres'' (fried plantain chips) are popular drinks and snacks to buy in the esplanade. During the weekends and festival celebrations one can find live music, street vendors, traditional street food and temporary art exhibitions. There is live

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

on Fridays and Saturdays, and salsa music and dance on Saturdays and Sundays.

History

The area used to host an interim prison, first built in 1837, called La Princesa Prison (

: ''Antigua Prisión de La Princesa''), named after

Isabella II of Spain Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868. Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successi ...

. While the promenade itself dates to 1853, the area originally was used by the Spanish military as an area to provide clear fields of fire for the cannons and guns that were located outside of the city walls. Puerto Rico Governor and Sr. Lieutenant General Don Fernando de Norzagaray foresaw an expansion of the prison and the construction of its tower. The prison had capacity for about 240 prisoners and continued to operate until 1965. The area where the promenade is located fell into disrepair in the 20th century but after housing was built in the area it was rehabilitated and restored in 1989. The

is now headquartered in the former prison. The company also installed a time capsule in 1995, located on the promenade in front of the former prison building. This time capsule was opened in 2020, and two more capsules were installed afterwards. These capsules are stated to be opened in 2045. La Princesa building also houses a small art exhibition and often hosts cultural events.

Gallery

File:Paseo de la Princesa.jpg, View of

and La Concepción Bastion from the western end of La Princesa. File:Explanada del Paseo de La Princesa.jpg, View of La Princesa and Raíces Fountain from the eastern end of the path. File:Paseo de la Princesa Statue II.jpg, Closeup of some of the sculptures of the Raíces Fountain. File:Paseo de la Princesa, San Juan - IMG 0343.JPG, A '' garita'' on the Derecha de San Justo Bastion located near the eastern end of the path. File:El Paseo De La Princesa.jpg, A '' garita'' on the city walls of Old San Juan. File:Vista desde el Paseo de la Princesa - panoramio.jpg, View of

Isla de Cabras Isla de Cabras (Spanish language, Spanish for ''goat island'') is an islet located at the entrance of the San Juan Bay in Puerto Rico. It is part of the Palo Seco, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, Palo Seco barrio of the municipality of Toa Baja, Puerto Ric ...

across

. File:San Juan, Paseos 02.jpg, La Princesa and the city walls of San Juan. File:San Juan, quiosco 1.jpg, Open air café in La Princesa. File:Comiendo piragua en Paseo de la Princesa, San Juan, Puerto Rico.jpg, Man eating a piragua (Puerto Rican shaved ice) in Paseo de La Princesa in 2014

References

{{Reflist Old San Juan, Puerto Rico Tourist attractions in San Juan, Puerto Rico Buildings and structures in San Juan, Puerto Rico Streets in San Juan, Puerto Rico Waterfronts 1853 establishments in Puerto Rico 1989 establishments in Puerto Rico Defunct prisons in Puerto Rico

Overview

History

Gallery

See also

References