Santurce (, from the

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

Santurtzi Santurtzi ( es, Santurce; eu, Santurtzi ) is a port town in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, Spain. It is located in the Bilbao Abra bay, near the mouth of the Nervión river, on its left bank, 14 km dow ...

'' which means

Saint George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...

) is a

barrio ''Barrio'' () is a Spanish language, Spanish word that means "Quarter (urban subdivision), quarter" or "neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city, usually delimited by functional (e.g. residenti ...

or district in the municipality of San Juan. Its population in 2020 was 69,469. It is also the biggest and most populated of all the barrios in the capital city with a bigger population than most municipalities of Puerto Rico and one of the most

densely populated Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

areas of the island (13,257.4 persons per square mile).

Geography

Couple holding hands and walking in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Geographically speaking, Santurce is a

peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...

that is attached to the mainland in the east, where it borders with the Isla Verde district of Carolina. It is 7.6 km long from west to east, and up to 3.0 km wide in the eastern part. The peninsula is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean in the north, with more than five km of beaches from the Condado peninsula in the west, to a point 600 m east of ''Punta Las Marías'', where it borders on the Isla Verde area, and '' Laguna San José'' and its northern embayment, ''Laguna Los Corozos'' to the east. To the south is the

Martín Peña Channel The Martín Peña Channel (Spanish: ''Caño de Martín Peña'') is a body of water in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The similarly named Martín Peña is a neighbourhood, with informal housing, adjacent to the channel. The channel runs from San Juan B ...

, which separates Santurce from the northern barrios of former municipio

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, a ...

Hato Rey Norte Hato Rey Norte is one of the 18 barrios of the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Hato Rey Norte was part of the former municipality of Rio Piedras, before it was merged with the municipality of San Juan in 1951. It is bounded by Hato Rey ...

Hato Rey Central Hato Rey Central is one of the 18 barrios of the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. With a population density of 16,155.3 per square mile. It has a land area of 1.03 sq mi and a 2010 Census population of 16,640. Hato Rey Central was a ba ...

, and Oriente. To the west is

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 ...

, where three bridges, Dos Hermanos Bridge (Ave. Ashford), G. Esteves Bridge ( Ave. Ponce de León) and San Antonio Bridge (Ave. Fernandes Juncos) connect Santurce with '' La Isleta'' (small island) where

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 ...

is located. It has a total area of composed of of land and of water area. The

topography Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...

is mainly flat with low hills toward the central areas and swampy areas to the south along the Martín Peña Channel and to the east near the Laguna San José (San José Lagoon). The highest point is at Monteflores with .

Location

Santurce is located along the north-eastern coast of Puerto Rico. It lies south of the Atlantic Ocean, east of

and west of Isla Verde. The district occupies an area of of land and 3.46 (8.96 km2) of water. It is surrounded by six bodies of water:

, Condado Natural Lagoon, the Martín Peña Channel, San José Lagoon, Los Corozos Lagoon, and the Atlantic Ocean with its respective beaches and estuaries.

History

Colonial

In 1760, San Mateo de Cangrejos is founded and later is named Santurce. It was originally settled by the native

Arawak The Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. Specifically, the term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to the Lokono of South America and the Taíno, who historically lived in the Great ...

and later by slaves of African ancestry who arrived from neighboring islands now known as the

Danish West Indies The Danish West Indies ( da, Dansk Vestindien) or Danish Antilles or Danish Virgin Islands were a Danish colonization of the Americas, Danish colony in the Caribbean, consisting of the islands of Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saint Thomas ...

. Throughout the centuries, the district continued to grow due to its location between San Juan and its southern suburbs.

Spanish influence

In 1876, an engineer from the port town of

in Spain's autonomous Basque Country region known as Pablo Ubarri arrived on the island to help in the construction of a railroad system and a steam tramway between San Juan and the town of Río Piedras through the center of San Mateo de Cangrejos which prompted the

gentrification Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and urban planning, planning. Gentrification ...

of the district. Many years after his arrival he was granted the title of Count of Santurce (which is the Hispanicized equivalent of Santurtzi) by the Spanish Crown. With his newly acquired title and influence, the district was renamed after his title (a decision that has caused controversy ever since). The tourist district of Condado within Santurce also received its present-name from Ubarri's title, as the district's name literally translates to "county" (which in medieval tradition is land granted by a monarch to a count).

Treaty of Paris (1898)

The

Treaty of Paris Treaty of Paris may refer to one of many treaties signed in Paris, France: Treaties 1200s and 1300s * Treaty of Paris (1229), which ended the Albigensian Crusade * Treaty of Paris (1259), between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France * Trea ...

provided that

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

would become independent from Spain but the

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...

made sure it would be under U.S. control through the Platt Amendment. It ceded Puerto Rico to the United States, along with other adjacent islands then under Spanish sovereignty in the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

, as well as

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

and the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

in Asia-Pacific region. The

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

established

Camp Las Casas Camp Las Casas was a United States military installation established in Santurce, Puerto Rico in 1904. The camp was the main training base of the "Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry," On January 15, 1899, the military government changed the name of ...

, in the area of Las Casas in 1904. The camp was the main training base of the ''Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry'' (on January 15, 1899, the military government changed the name of Puerto Rico to ''Porto Rico'' and on May 17, 1932, U.S. Congress changed the name back to "Puerto Rico") The ''Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry'' was a U.S. Army Regiment which was later renamed the "

65th Infantry Regiment The 65th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed "The Borinqueneers" during the Korean War for the original Taíno Indian name for Puerto Rico (Borinquen), is a Puerto Rican regiment of the United States Army. The regiment's motto is ''Honor et Fidelita ...

". The 65th Infantry Regiment was not segregated, it was a Regular Army Regiment that accepted personnel of every race but blacks, there was a black Regiment in the Island for that purpose, the 375th Regiment. The base continued in operation until 1946, when it was finally closed and the

Residencial Las Casas Residencial Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, more commonly known as Residencial Las Casas, Caserio Las Casas or Las Casas, is a public housing complex located in San Juan, Puerto Rico consisting of 417 housing units. It is under the management of the ...

now stands."Historia Militar de Puerto Rico"; by

Héctor Andrés Negroni Colonel Héctor Andrés Negroni (born January 30, 1938) is a United States Air Force officer, historian, senior aerospace defense executive, author, and the first Puerto Rican graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. He was commissioned ...

; pg. 370; Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

under the terms of the

Treaty of Paris of 1898 The Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, commonly known as the Treaty of Paris of 1898 ( fil, Kasunduan sa Paris ng 1898; es, Tratado de París de 1898), was a treaty signed by Spain and the United Stat ...

and became an

unincorporated territory of the United States Territories of the United States are sub-national administrative divisions overseen by the federal government of the United States. The various American territories differ from the U.S. states and tribal reservations as they are not sover ...

. In 1899, the

United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, a ...

conducted a census of Puerto Rico, finding that the population of Santurce was 5,840.

The 20th century

In the 20th century the conurbation of the San Juan

metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...

expanded rapidly beyond its walled confines of

to incorporate the boroughs of suburban Miramar, Santurce,

Isla Grande Isla Grande is a small island and Corregimientos of Panama, corregimiento in Portobelo District, Colón Province, Panama, off the Caribbean coast. It had a population of 1,037 . Its population as of 1990 was 626; its population as of 2000 was 1,05 ...

, and Condado, along the coast, as well as industrial

Hato Rey Hato Rey is a former barrio located in the northwest part of the dissolved municipality of Río Piedras. It now stretches over three barrios, of the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico: Urban landscape Its name means "king's cattle farm" (' ...

, with its large sports stadium and modern

financial district A financial district is usually a central area in a city where financial services firms such as banks, insurance companies and other related finance corporations have their head offices. In major cities, financial districts are often home to s ...

, and the

college town A college town or university town is a community (often a separate town or city, but in some cases a town/city neighborhood or a district) that is dominated by its university population. The university may be large, or there may be several sma ...

, immediately to the southeast. Between 1937 and 1948, Santurce along with neighboring district Miramar became one of the most vibrant areas of the capital. However, by the 1970s, most of the district had fallen into decay, losing the luster and vibrancy it once had. Many residents left Santurce, fleeing to the

suburbs A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...

. By 1980 the San Juan metropolitan area included the surrounding municipalities to the east and west and had about one-third of Puerto Rico's total population; that proportion has grown to two-thirds of the population.

The 21st century

In the early 21st century Santurce saw a period of economic decline coupled with the

financial crisis A financial crisis is any of a broad variety of situations in which some financial assets suddenly lose a large part of their nominal value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with banking panics, and man ...

of the local banking & mortgage system. In 2009, the district began a period of cosmopolitan revival and economic growth as many local establishments such as bars, clubs, and restaurants opened their doors due to the importance of trade and tourism. What helped was the decrease in rent, it attracted artists to the area. Since then, Santurce began experiencing a new wave of

and is now hailed by many as Puerto Rico's " hipster haven". In 2018, twenty-two murals were painted in and around Santurce to illustrate Santurce's culture and history.

Demographics

Santurce is one of the top ten most-populated areas of Puerto Rico. It includes the neighborhoods of Miramar, Loíza,

, Barrio Obrero, and Condado, which are cultural hot spots for

art Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...

, fashion,

hotels A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

, technology, multimedia,

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, textile and

startups A startup or start-up is a company or project undertaken by an entrepreneur to seek, develop, and validate a scalable business model. While entrepreneurship refers to all new businesses, including self-employment and businesses that never intend t ...

. The 2010 U.S. Census recorded a total population of 81,251 people living in an area of . It is the most populous borough (''barrio'') in Puerto Rico and one of the most

areas of San Juan, at 15,447.0 residents per square mile (6,931.2/km²). Santurce is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in

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 Caribbean with over 1,500 people attending two local synagogues. Jews were officially prohibited from settling in the island through much of its history, but many managed to settle in the island as secret Jews. Many arrived from

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, Saint-Barthélemy and

Curaçao Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...

after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. A minor portion are descendants of

Jewish Cuban Jewish Cubans, Cuban Jews, or Cubans of Jewish heritage, have lived in the nation of Cuba for centuries. Some Cubans trace Jewish ancestry to '' Marranos'' (forced converts to Christianity) who came as colonists, though few of these practice Judai ...

s who came to establishment after

Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (; ; 13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 200 ...

Cuban Revolution The Cuban Revolution ( es, Revolución Cubana) was carried out after the 1952 Cuban coup d'état which placed Fulgencio Batista as head of state and the failed mass strike in opposition that followed. After failing to contest Batista in cou ...

of 1959. Like in many former Spanish colonies founded soon after the

Spanish Inquisition The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition ( es, Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición), commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition ( es, Inquisición española), was established in 1478 by the Catholic Monarchs, King Ferdinand ...

, there are some Puerto Ricans who are

Crypto-Jews Crypto-Judaism is the secret adherence to Judaism while publicly professing to be of another faith; practitioners are referred to as "crypto-Jews" (origin from Greek ''kryptos'' – , 'hidden'). The term is especially applied historically to Sp ...

. Recent DNA ancestry has identified a number of Portuguese descendants who arrived in Puerto Rico after the start of the Portuguese Inquisition in 1536. These are descendants of Converso families. There are some who maintain elements of Jewish traditions, although they themselves are, or were raised as Christians. Santurce also has a very big Dominican community, along with

Cuban Cuban may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Cuba, a country in the Caribbean * Cubans, people from Cuba, or of Cuban descent ** Cuban exile, a person who left Cuba for political reasons, or a descendant thereof * Cuban citizen, a perso ...

, Colombian,

Argentine Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...

and

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

communities.

Subdivisions of Santurce

Santurce has a community of 81,251 of inhabitants living in a land area of . It is subdivided into 40 "subbarrios" (sub-districts).

Population

For centuries "barrios" were the primary administrative division of Puerto Rico's municipalities, however, presently they primarily serve statistical purposes for both the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

& the

Puerto Rico Planning Board The Puerto Rico Planning Board ( es, Junta de Planificación) created in the May 12, 1942 during Rexford G. Tugwell's governorship as the Puerto Rico Planning, Urbanization, and Zoning Board, is the only government agency in charge of centralize ...

. The most densely populated area lies to the southeast bordering the San José Lagoon and the

, while the least densely populated areas are found by the

mangrove swamp Mangrove forests, also called mangrove swamps, mangrove thickets or mangals, are productive wetlands that occur in coastal intertidal zones. Mangrove forests grow mainly at tropical and subtropical latitudes because mangroves cannot withstand fre ...

s to the south surrounding the Martín Peña Channel, and the western area of

, a decommissioned

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

military base. Densidad poblacional por sub-barrio de Santurce

Ingreso per capita por sub-barrio de Santurce

Cityscape

Architecture

Structures of architectural value and historical importance are located mainly throughout Ponce de León Avenue,

Ashford Avenue Ashford may refer to: Places Australia *Ashford, New South Wales *Ashford, South Australia *Electoral district of Ashford, South Australia Ireland *Ashford, County Wicklow *Ashford Castle, County Galway United Kingdom *Ashford, Kent, a town **B ...

and

Fernández Juncos Avenue Fernández () is a Spanish surname meaning "son of Fernando". The Germanic name that it derives from (Gothic: ''Frið-nanð'') means "brave traveler." The Portuguese version of this surname is Fernandes. The Arabized version is ''Ibn Faranda'' ...

. * Central High School,

Spanish Renaissance The Spanish Renaissance was a movement in Spain, emerging from the Italian Renaissance in Italy during the 14th century, that spread to Spain during the 15th and 16th centuries. This new focus in art, literature, quotes and science inspired b ...

-style building from 1925: Designed by Adrian Finlayson, Architec
(Project I-5)
* Colegio de Arquitectos, 225 Parque Street: Designed by Carlos del Valle Zeno, Architec
(link)
*

Condado Vanderbilt Hotel The Condado Vanderbilt Hotel is a historic luxury hotel built in 1919 and located on Ashford Avenue in the district of Condado in San Juan, capital city of the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. It was listed on the National Register of Histori ...

Spanish 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 ...

style hotel from 1919 *

Convention Center A convention center (American English; or conference centre in British English) is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typica ...

, Isla Grande Boulevard * La Casabella, Spanish influence from 1898 *

La Concha Resort La Concha Renaissance San Juan Resort, also known as La Concha Resort, is a historic luxury resort located at the Condado oceanfront within the district of Santurce in San Juan, Puerto Rico. History The La Concha Hotel opened in December 19 ...

, a renaissance hotel: Designed by Toro Ferrer, Architect
(link)
*

Residencia Aboy-Lompré The Residencia Aboy-Lompré, also known as Casa Aboy, is a historic house built in San Juan, Puerto Rico around 1910 and 1912 for the Aboy-Ferrer Family. The house is notable for its use of modern architecture at the time and is now a photojournal ...

, 1919 house designed by Miguel Ferrer

Public spaces

La Placita de Santurce La Placita is a historic district and neighborhood of Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico, located in the former area of Santurce's old market square (Spanish: ''Plaza del mercado de Santurce'') in Campo Alegre. La Placita today is a popular dining ...

: The historical marketplace building, encompassing Campo Alegre, Alto del Cabro, and the Plaza del Mercado (a farmers' market full of local vendors with a social environment, bars, & restaurants), La Placita de Santurce is one of the most popular nightlife areas in San Juan. *

La Ventana al Mar La Ventana al Mar on Ashford Avenue in the district of Condado (Santurce), Condado, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico is a large public space built in 2004 fronting the Atlantic Ocean. The park is flanked by two of Condado's landmark ...

(2004): Designed by Andrés Mignucci * Plaza Antonia Quiñones (also known as Stella-Maris Square and Placita del Condado; 2000); designed by Andrés Mignucci

Beaches

Condado Bridge Beach Playita del Condado is a beach located at the end of Ashford Avenue in Condado, Puerto Rico. Playita del Condado Playita del Condado is a beach near Condado Lagoon. It is near Miramar and Isla Grande Boulevard and a seven-minute drive fro ...

* Ocean Park

Seaport

Port of San Juan The Port of San Juan ( es, Puerto de San Juan) is a seaport facility located in the metropolitan area of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The "Port of San Juan" is the general name used to call various passenger and cargo facilities located in lands aro ...

Transportation

Public transportation is provided by several bus lines (locally known as guaguas) operated by the

Puerto Rico Metropolitan Bus Authority The Autoridad Metropolitana de Autobuses (AMA, English: Puerto Rico Metropolitan Bus Authority) is a government-owned corporation and public transport bus service based in the San Juan metropolitan area. It is part of the Puerto Rico Department ...

and circulate along the main avenues 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 ...

and Fernández Juncos among others. In the peripheries of Santurce there is a

rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...

system called

Tren Urbano The ''Tren Urbano'' (English language, English: Urban Train) is a List of automated urban metro subway systems, fully-automated rapid transit system that serves the municipalities of San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Gua ...

. The Sagrado Corazón station is the terminus of the sole

metro system Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...

line of San Juan, located in the southeast section of the district in the neighborhood of Martín Peña. Santurce is a few minutes away by car from the country's main airport,

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional Luis Muñoz Marín) is a joint civil-military international airport located in suburban Carolina, Puerto Rico, southeast of San Juan. It is named for Luis Muño ...

, and from San Juan's secondary commercial airport,

Isla Grande Airport Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport , also commonly known as Isla Grande Airport, is an airport in Isla Grande, a district in the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is owned by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and is adjacent to the Pu ...

Culture

Museums and galleries

Santurce is the main residence of two major museums on the island. * the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico * the

Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art The Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art, often abbreviated to MAC, is a contemporary art museum in Santurce, Puerto Rico. History The museum was founded by artists and sponsors of the civil society and was officially instituted on October ...

* the Galería Casa Jefferson

Performing arts

* Ballets de San Juan * Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center, modern award-winning fine arts architectural masterpiece

Education

Santurce is home to some of the most prestigious private education institutions in Puerto Rico. *

Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico The Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music ( es, Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico) is a public conservatory in San Juan, Puerto Rico.Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto RicoSOBRE EL CONSERVATORIO DE MÚSICA DE PUERTO RICO: Información General d ...

* University of the Sacred Heart *

Academia San Jorge Academia San Jorge ("Saint George Academy") is a private, Roman Catholic school in San Juan, Puerto Rico founded in 1925 by Rev. Msgr. José M. Rivera as a parochial school with 53 students from grades K–3. Shortly after, the school started const ...

Academia Interamericana Metro The Academia Interamericana Metro (before Academia del Sagrado Corazón) was founded in 1928 as a private and religious school in Santurce, Puerto Rico by Inter American University of Puerto Rico The Inter American University of Puerto Ric ...

* Perpetuo Socorro * Robinson School * Saint John's School It also includes notable public schools: * Padre Rufo School, bilingual public school * Central High School, built in 1925 and listed on the U.S.

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 v ...

Synagogues and cathedrals

* Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Catedral San Juan Bautista) *

Nuestra Señora de Lourdes Chapel Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel ( es, Capilla de Nuestra Señora de Lourdes) is a historic chapel located at the Miramar district in Santurce, Puerto Rico. Its distinctive architecture bears a neo-Gothic style. It was designed by Czech architect Anton ...

, Neo-Gothic style chapel from 1909 designed by

Antonin Nechodoma Antonin Nechodoma (1877–1928), was a Czech architect who practiced in Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic from 1905 to 1928. He is known for the introduction of the Prairie Style to the Caribbean and the integration of Arts and Crafts elements to ...

* Sagrado Corazon Church (Parada 19) * Synagogue Shaare

Tzadik Tzadik ( he, צַדִּיק , "righteous ne, also ''zadik'', ''ṣaddîq'' or ''sadiq''; pl. ''tzadikim'' ''ṣadiqim'') is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The ...

* Stella-Maris Catholic Church * Temple Beth Shalom
Parroquia San Vicente de Paúl
(Parada 24)

Sports

Santurce has the most modern swimming facilities in the Caribbean and fourth in the world. It is an Olympic aquatic sports facility used to host local and international events such as the 2nd A.S.U.A Pan American Masters Swimming Championship. The

San Juan Natatorium The San Juan Natatorium is an Olympic-level aquatic sports facility located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Located in San Juan's Parque Central (Central Park) the natatorium is regarded as the most advanced natatorium in the Caribbean and 4th in the ...

is located in Santurce's Central Park. The district also has a baseball and a basketball team both known as the Santurce Crabbers (''Cangrejeros de Santurce'') because of the original name of the township. They have been part of the community for over 70 years. Both teams have enjoyed great domestic success, the baseball team is regarded as the ‘

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

’, largely in part to the accomplishments of its legendary players, such as

Roberto Clemente Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After his early death, he was pos ...

and

Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...

Health

Santurce has an extensive healthcare network which includes two of the finest hospitals on the island, Ashford

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

Community Hospital and

Pavia Hospital Pavia (, , , ; la, Ticinum; Medieval Latin: ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy in northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was the capit ...

Economy

Santurce experienced significant economic growth following World War II. During this period the district underwent an economic revitalization. Tourism is also a key industry based on Santurce's proximity to Puerto Rico's main international airport,

, and the smaller

Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport , also commonly known as Isla Grande Airport, is an airport in Isla Grande, a district in the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is owned by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and is adjacent to the Puer ...

. The concentration of hotels are primarily located in the Condado area where there are numerous luxurious hotels including

Marriott Marriott may refer to: People *Marriott (surname) Corporations * Marriott Corporation, founded as Hot Shoppes, Inc. in 1927; split into Marriott International and Host Marriott Corporation in 1993 * Marriott International, international hote ...

and the

Conrad Hotel Conrad Hotels & Resorts is an American multinational brand of high-end luxury hotels and high-end luxury resort, resorts owned and operated by Hilton Worldwide. Conrad was considered the luxury flagship brand in the Hilton Family of Brands, name ...

Notable natives and residents

Miguel Algarín Miguel Algarín Jr. (11 September 1941 – 30 November 2020) was a Puerto Rican poet, writer, co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café, and a Rutgers University professor of English. Early years Algarín was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, and ...

, writer and poet * Miguel Arteta, film and television director *

Pura Belpré Pura Belpré (February 2, 1899 – July 1, 1982) was the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City. She was also a writer, collector of folktales, and puppeteer. Life Belpré was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico. p.58. There is some dispute as to ...

, author *

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 ...

, author *

Tego Calderón Tegui Calderón Rosario (born February 1, 1972) is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and actor. He began his musical career in 1996 (as Tego Tec) and was supported by the famous Puerto Rican rapper Eddie Dee, who invited him on his second studio albu ...

reggaeton Reggaeton (, ), also known as reggaetón and reguetón (), is a music style that originated in Panama during the late 1980s. It was later popularized in Puerto Rico. It has evolved from dancehall and has been influenced by American Hip hop m ...

singer * Wilmer Calderon, Puerto Rican-American actor *

Deborah Carthy-Deu Deborah Fatima Carthy-Deu (born January 5, 1966) is a Puerto Rican actress, TV host and beauty queen. She was the second Puerto Rican Miss Universe Biography Early years Deborah Fatima Carthy-Deu was born on January 5, 1966, in the Santurce d ...

, Miss Puerto Rico 1985, Miss Universe 1985; actress, television host *

Lourdes Chacón Lourdes Chacón (born February 14, 1956) is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Biography Lourdes enjoyed huge popularity and media exposure during the 1980s and 1990s in the island of Puerto Rico. She was also popular in Mexico, where ...

, actress * Jessica Cristina, singer *

Carly Colón Carlos Edwin Colón Jr. (born February 21, 1979) is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with WWE, under the ring name Carlito. He is currently making appearances for multiple promotions, including Qatar Pro Wrestlin ...

, professional wrestler and performer *

Christian Daniel Christian Daniel (born March 20, 1984) is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and actor. Early life Daniel was born in 1984 in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico, to a Puerto Rican mother and a Cuban father from Pinar del Río, Cuba. Career Dan ...

, singer-songwriter and actor *

Jack Delano Jack Delano (born Jacob Ovcharov; August 1, 1914 – August 12, 1997) was a Ukrainian immigrant who became an accomplished photographer for the Works Progress Administration, United Fund, and most notably, the Farm Security Administration (FSA). ...

, author and photographer *

Benicio del Toro Benicio Monserrate Rafael del Toro Sánchez (born February 19, 1967) is a Puerto Rican actor and producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen A ...

, actor and producer * Edgar Diaz, professional baseball player *

José Ferrer José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón (January 8, 1912 – January 26, 1992) was a Puerto Rican actor and director of stage, film and television. He was one of the most celebrated and esteemed Hispanic American actors during his lifetime, w ...

, actor, director and producer * Francisco Figueroa, professional boxer *

Eddie Gómez Edgar Gómez (born October 4, 1944) is a Puerto Rican jazz double bassist, known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio from 1966 to 1977. Biography Gómez moved with his family from Puerto Rico at a young age to New York, where he was raised. ...

, bassist *

Wilfredo Gómez Wilfredo Gómez RiveraSonia Gutierrez, educator, Hispanic rights activist. *

Nathan Leopold Nathan Freudenthal Leopold Jr. (November 19, 1904 – August 29, 1971) and Richard Albert Loeb (; June 11, 1905 – January 28, 1936), usually referred to collectively as Leopold and Loeb, were two wealthy students at the University of Chicago ...

, US murderer * Luis López Nieves, writer * Gilberto Monroig, singer *

Andy Montañez Andrés Montañez Rodríguez (born May 7, 1942), better known as Andy Montañez, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter. Early life Montañez is a native of the ''Tras Talleres'' area of Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is known by the nic ...

, salsa singer for

El Gran Combo El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, commonly known as El Gran Combo, is a Puerto Rican salsa orchestra based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, it was often considered Puerto Rico's most successful musical group. The ...

, architect * Ossie Ocasio, professional boxer * Cynthia Olavarria, Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2005 and first runner-up

Miss Universe 2005 Miss Universe 2005 was the 54th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Impact Arena in Nonthaburi Province, Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Thailand on May 31, 2005,. At the end of the event, Jennifer Hawkins of Australia crowned Natalie Glebova of ...

Carlos Ponce Carlos Armando Ponce Freyre Jr. (born September 4, 1972) is a Puerto Rican actor, musician, model, and television personality. Ponce began his acting career by participating in Spanish language soap operas for Televisa and Telemundo. Ponce contin ...

; actor, singer and composer *

Jorge Posada Jorge Rafael Posada Villeta (born August 17, 1970) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Posada recorded a .273 batting average, 275 home runs, and ...

, baseball player (

) *

Ismael Rivera Ismael Rivera a.k.a. "Maelo" (October 5, 1931 – May 13, 1987), was a Puerto Rican composer and salsa singer. Early life Rivera was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, a sector of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was the first of five children born to ...

, salsa singer & performer *

Ed Romero Edgardo Ralph Romero Rivera (born December 9, 1957) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball infielder and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and Detroit Tigers. Listed ...

, baseball player *

Luis Rafael Sánchez Dr. Luis Rafael Sánchez, a.k.a. "Wico" Sánchez (November 17, 1936) is a Puerto Rican essayist, novelist, and short-story author who is widely considered one of the island's most outstanding contemporary playwrights. Possibly his best known play ...

, writer * Daniel Santos, singer and composer * Arturo Schomburg, writer & historian *

Olga Tañón Olga Teresa Tañón OrtizIn this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is ''Tañón'' and the second or maternal family name is ''Ortiz''. (born April 13, 1967) is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter. Over the course of her career, she has ...

, singer

References

External links

Official Government Site
{{Coord, 18, 26, 27, N, 66, 02, 50, W, display=title Historic districts in Puerto Rico Barrios of San Juan, Puerto Rico