Old San Juan

Old San Juan

Old San Juan and the capital municipio of San Juan are two distinct places which many people sometimes confuse with each other. The municipio of San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico while Old San Juan is a community found within San Juan, more specifically located at western half of a little islet within the boundaries of San Juan called the Isleta de San Juan. Although not as large as the entire city of San Juan, Old San Juan remains to be a culturally, economically and historically significant spot, not just in San Juan, but in the entire island of Puerto Rico.

More than 465 years ago, Spanish conquistadors who have set anchor in the island of Puerto Rico decided to build a colony on the island, and that was the moment that Old San Juan came to being. It was not however, like the way it is at present then. Old San Juan started out as a small settlement which was found very advantageous by the Spanish colonizers and adventures because of the existence of its perfect natural harbor. This harbor, now know as San Juan harbor, lead to the rapid growth and development of the small settlement into a large, walled community.

Not only was Old San Juan then a beneficial residential community, it was also a well-developed commercial and economic district because its harbor allowed plenty of trading ships and embargoes to stock up on materials and trade of wares in the area. It also became a most convenient departure place for ships setting sail for the “New Lands” in order to discover and consequently, colonize these unexplored regions of the Americas.

Because of the significant advantage that Old San Juan offers to the Spanish conquistadors, several other countries in the race to conquering the New Worlds became extremely annoyed with it, which led to several attacks on the area by the British and Dutch. The wall surrounding Old San Juan as well as the many forts and military constructions provided to protect the community receive major and minor damages during these attacks, however, the settlement remained and continued to survive these advances by enemy troops and ships.

At the present, Old San Juan continues to be a strong economic influence in Puerto Rico. Tourists by the thousands come to Old San Juan every year to visit the many museums, historic landmarks, plazas, cultural spots and other sceneries that the area is home to. From charming cobbled streets to impressive plazas and old sites, Old San Juan seems like a little bubble of years gone by nestled within the protection of its mighty walls and forts. It is now a place where tourists can learn of Puerto Rico's history, and it is also a place where locals can revisit their past. Old San Juan has survived the ravages of time and wars, and it will continue to remain a symbol of Puerto Rico's history and culture for the years to come.