
Capilla del Cristo (Chapel of Christ), San Juan (must see)
Capilla del Cristo (Chapel of Christ), is a small chapel located in the Old San Juan Historic District of Puerto Rico. Built in the 18th century, the structure has become a cultural icon of Puerto Rico and was saved from demolition in the 20th century. Most of the articles located at its altar are from 1753.
The chapel with its belfry is located in the Old San Juan Historic District in the western section of San Juan Islet, at the end of Cristo Street, now a pedestrian walkway. It sits on top of the old city walk. The chapel is a major tourist attraction in San Juan. Inside the chapel there is a famous painting called El Milagro ("The Miracle").
According to the legend, during a horse race that was taking place on the street where the chapel is located, a young rider and his horse took a bad fall and the rider went over the city wall but was miraculously saved. In a famous book about Puerto Rican legends, it says that the horse was killed but the rider lived. Afterwards, permission was granted to build the Catholic chapel and many festivals have been held, over the years, at the location to celebrate the miracle.
The chapel is open to publish on Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00.
The chapel with its belfry is located in the Old San Juan Historic District in the western section of San Juan Islet, at the end of Cristo Street, now a pedestrian walkway. It sits on top of the old city walk. The chapel is a major tourist attraction in San Juan. Inside the chapel there is a famous painting called El Milagro ("The Miracle").
According to the legend, during a horse race that was taking place on the street where the chapel is located, a young rider and his horse took a bad fall and the rider went over the city wall but was miraculously saved. In a famous book about Puerto Rican legends, it says that the horse was killed but the rider lived. Afterwards, permission was granted to build the Catholic chapel and many festivals have been held, over the years, at the location to celebrate the miracle.
The chapel is open to publish on Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in San Juan. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Capilla del Cristo (Chapel of Christ) on Map
Sight Name: Capilla del Cristo (Chapel of Christ)
Sight Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico (See walking tours in San Juan)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico (See walking tours in San Juan)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Create Your Own Walk in San Juan
Creating your own self-guided walk in San Juan is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Old San Juan Squares
A distinctive feature of Old San Juan is the number of quaint historic squares. Many of them are adorned with beautiful fountains, prominent monuments and intricate sculptures recounting rich history of this amazing city. Check out San Juan’s most popular squares on this self-guided walking tour!
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Old San Juan Walking Tour
Founded by Spanish colonists in 1509, at a site then known as "Puerto Rico" (which means Rich Port in Spanish), San Juan is the third oldest capital in the Americas established by Europeans. In 1521, the words "San Juan" were added to its official name, thus making it "San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico". This was in keeping with the custom of christening the town with... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Souvenir Shopping
Puerto Rico was colonized by Spain following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493. Among the crafts that followed the Spanish to the island was mundillo, a kind of decorative lace made of wooden bobbins. Over the next few centuries, the mundillo craft flourished on the island and today is one of the most popular local products sought after by visitors.
Being Caribbean, the country also... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.9 Km or 0.6 Miles
Being Caribbean, the country also... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.9 Km or 0.6 Miles
San Juan Historical Buildings
San Juan was founded by the Spanish in 1521, which makes it the third oldest European-established capital city on the American continent. Owning to its long history, the old town of San Juan is filled to the brim with heritage colonial buildings.
Chief among them, La Fortaleza is the longest-standing executive mansion in continuous use in America, whereas the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista is... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Chief among them, La Fortaleza is the longest-standing executive mansion in continuous use in America, whereas the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista is... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
13 Distinctively Puerto Rican Goods to Bring Home from San Juan
The uniqueness of Puerto Rico is partially associated with its political status - part of the United States yet with a Latin twist. Other than their widely-acknowledged musical talents, e.g. Carlos Santana and Ricky Martin, Puerto Rico is just as rich in many other good things. When you're in...