In 1838 the so-called area of Puerta de Tierra (or "Land Gate") had a population of 168 residents, mainly of African descent. Prior to the 19th century, the area outside the city walls occupying the east side of Old San Juan Island, was almost uninhabited. By 1876, 24,000 lived inside the walls of San Juan, encompassing 62 acres, and 926 buildings. By 1781, the city's fortifications included 376 cannon. The garrison town of San Juan included 250 acres of military installations and 62 acres of public and private use. īy 1776, the population totaled 6000, half of which were soldiers. San Cristobal fort was completed by 1771. Circumvallation of the city commenced in 1630 and was concluded by 1641.
HOSTAL SAN FRANCISCO VIEJO SAN JUAN PLUS
Extensions to the Morro, plus construction of El Cañuelo, and El Boquerón, were made between 15. La Fortaleza was built between 15, 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. The 42-foot (12.8 m) wall that surrounds Old San Juan (as seen near the San Juan Gate)Ĭonstructed in 1521, Casa Blanca served as the first fortification of the settlement and residence of Juan Ponce de León descendants, until the mid-eighteenth century. 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 had originally given the islands, honoring John the Baptist. 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 harbor in the island of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. The ruins of Caparra are known as the Pueblo Viejo sector of Guaynabo, behind the almost land-locked harbor just to the west of the present San Juan metropolitan area. In 1508, Juan Ponce de León founded the original settlement, Caparra (named after the Province of Cáceres, Spain, birthplace of the then-governor of Spain's Caribbean territories, Nicolás de Ovando). Near Fort San Felipe del Morro, is the Casa Blanca, a palace built on land which belonged to the family of Ponce de León. The city is characterized by its narrow, blue cobblestone streets, and flat-roofed brick and stone buildings, which date back to the 16th and 17th centuries-when Puerto Rico was a Spanish possession. Esteves" ( Ponce de León Avenue) and "Puente San Antonio" (Fernández Juncos Avenue). 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. On a promontory (Spanish: morro) about 100 feet (30 m) 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. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and to the south by San Juan Bay (or "Bahia de San Juan")-which lies between the city and the mainland. Old San Juan is located on a small and narrow island which lies along the north coast, about 35 miles (56 km) from the east end of Puerto Rico, and is united to the mainland of Puerto Rico by three bridges. 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. Several historical buildings and structures, particularly La Fortaleza, the city walls, and El Morro and San Cristóbal castles, have been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list since 1983. This historic district is a National Historic Landmark District and is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places as the Old San Juan Historic District. Old San Juan is the oldest settlement within Puerto Rico and the historic colonial district of the city of San Juan.
Its area roughly correlates to the Ballajá, Catedral, Marina, Mercado, San Cristóbal, and San Francisco sub-barrios (sub-districts) of barrio San Juan Antiguo in the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Old San Juan ( Spanish: Viejo San Juan) is a historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the islet of San Juan. NW triangle of the islet of San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico