7 Sights in San Juan, United States (with Map and Images)

Castillo San Felipe del Morro, most commonly known as El Morro (The Promontory), is a large fortress and citadel in the historic district of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Commissioned by King Charles I of Spain in 1539, it was first built as a fortified tower in honor of King Philip II, who oversaw its expansion into a hornwork fort by 1595. Over the next 200 years, especially in the reign of King Charles III, El Morro continued to be developed to reach its current form in 1787. Rising 140 ft from the Atlantic shoreline with 18 to 25 ft thick walls, the six-leveled edifice stands on a steep, rocky headland promontory on San Juan Islet guarding the entry to San Juan Bay, the harbor of Old San Juan. El Morro, alongside La Fortaleza, San Cristóbal, El Cañuelo, and other forts part of the Walls of Old San Juan, protected strategically and militarily important Puerto Rico, or La Llave de las Indias , from invasion by competing world powers during the Age of Sail. It was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983.

Wikipedia: Castillo San Felipe del Morro (EN)

Old San Juan is a historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the islet of San Juan in 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 is the oldest settlement within Puerto Rico and the historic colonial district of the city of San Juan. This historic district is a National Historic Landmark District named Zona Histórica de San Juan and is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places as the Old San Juan Historic District. 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. Historically the mixed-use commercial and residential real estate in the main streets of Calle Cristo and Calle Fortaleza from Calle Tanca 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.

Wikipedia: Old San Juan (EN)

Castillo San Cristóbal is a fortress in the historic district of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, known as the largest fortification built by the Spanish in the New World. Dating back to defense expansions following attacks by the English in 1598 and the Dutch in 1625, it was first built in 1634 as the Garita del Diablo and an artillery platform. Over the next 150 years, especially in the reign of King Charles III of Spain, it continued to be developed into a bastion fort to reach its largest size in 1790. Rising 150 ft from the Atlantic shoreline, the three-level edifice stands on a hill at the northern coastline of San Juan Islet, guarding the land entry to Old San Juan. San Cristóbal, alongside El Morro, La Fortaleza, and other forts part of the Walls of Old San Juan, protected strategically and militarily important Puerto Rico, or La Llave de las Indias , from invasion by competing world powers during the Age of Sail. It was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983.

Wikipedia: Castillo San Cristóbal (San Juan) (EN)

The Museum of Art of Puerto Rico is an art museum in Santurce, a barrio of San Juan, Puerto Rico, with 18 exhibition halls. The museum is located in a historic building, formerly occupied by the San Juan Municipal Hospital.

Wikipedia: Museum of Art of Puerto Rico (EN), Website

Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel 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 Antonin Nechodoma and built in 1908.

Wikipedia: Nuestra Señora de Lourdes Chapel (EN)

Fortín de San Antonio was a fortification built by the Spanish in San Juan, Puerto Rico with the aim of fortifying the San Antonio Bridge. The bridge was of great strategic importance, given that it was the only land accessible entrance to the islet of San Juan. It was located southeast of Fortín de San Gerónimo.

Wikipedia: Fortín San Antonio (EN)

The Casa Dra. Concha Meléndez Ramírez is a historic house at 1400 Vilá Mayo in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a modest two-story Spanish Revival structure, finished in adobe-colored concrete and a clay tile roof. The house is notable as the longtime home of Dra. Concha Meléndez Ramírez (1895–1983), a leading literary figure of 20th century Puerto Rico. Now a museum, library, and research center, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011; it is the first such designation for a Puerto Rican literary site.

Wikipedia: Casa Dra. Concha Melendez Ramirez (EN)