La Fortaleza (The Fortress), San Juan

La Fortaleza (The Fortress), San Juan (must see)

La Fortaleza, or the Fortress, is the current official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. Built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the harbor of San Juan, it is the oldest executive mansion in the New World. During the 1640 reconstruction, the chapel of Santa Catalina, then located outside the city walls, was demolished and integrated into the complex, which, upon that, assumed the new (current) name, Palacio de Santa Catalina.

La Fortaleza was the first defensive fortification built in San Juan, and the first of the series of military installations designed to protect the city, among which were the Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristóbal. The construction was authorized by Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, as a defensive measure against the attacks from Carib Indians and the rivaling European powers.

The fortress underwent massive reconstruction in 1846 to convert from military use to a palatial residence. Since then, La Fortaleza has been the home to more than 170 governors of Puerto Rico and hosted various dignitaries, including President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, who stayed here in 1961. At present, the complex consists of a few attached buildings with formal living quarters on the second floor, and private quarters on the third. The palace overlooks the high city walls fronting the bay, and its northern part contains sheltered gardens and a swimming pool.

The complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and as such may present definite interest to both history and architecture buffs with a taste for Spanish designs.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.

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La Fortaleza (The Fortress) on Map

Sight Name: La Fortaleza (The Fortress)
Sight Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico (See walking tours in San Juan)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Create Your Own Walk in San Juan

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.
San Juan Historical Buildings

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
Old San Juan Squares

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
Old San Juan Walking Tour

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
Souvenir Shopping

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

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13 Distinctively Puerto Rican Goods to Bring Home from San Juan

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...