info about old san juan - Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel

SHERATON OLD SAN JUAN HOTEL

WALKING TOUR

QUICK FACT: OLD SAN JUAN IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HISTORICAL DISTRICTS IN THE NEW WORLD. THE CITY IS OVER 500 YEARS
Puerto Rico’s population is OLD. AND IT ‘S FILLED WITH HISTORICAL SITES, MILITARY MONUMENTS, ARCHITECTURAL JEWELS, RELIGIOUS LANDMARKS,
3.9 million; half of whom HIDDEN PATIOS. . IT IS ALSO A COSMOPOLITAN DISTRICT FILLED WITH TEMPTING RESTAURANTS AND A FASCINATING
NIGHTLIFE. THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE FROM ARTS AND CRAFTS IN THE STREET TO KITE FLYING AT EL MORRO.
live in San Juan SO DATE THE CITY ENJOY THE SITES AND DISCOVER IT’S BEAUTY .

COVER CHARGES FOR THE Step out of the lobby to your left, now right and you will be at
MAIN ATTRACTIONS and in the corner make a right
Calle Las Monjas. Here You’ll
EL MORRO 3.00 turn and you’ll be at La Marina see the Museo de Doña Fela, and
St. from where you will begin the Museo del Niño and La Cat-
SAN CRISTOBAL CASTLE 3.00 edral de San Juan, where Juan
your tour. Continue straight on Ponce de Leon is buried. Turning
LELOLAI FESTIVAL 3.00 and you will see Plaza de la Started in 1540 it took 250 years to take its present
Darsena; where you can see a left and heading straight up you’ll form. El Morro has 6 levels, reaches a height of 140
MUSEO DEL NIÑO 5.00 local exhibition of handmade
find yourself in Cristo St. Fur- feet and has walls up to 20 feet thick.
CASA BLANCA 2.00 crafts. Here there’s also La Casita
where you can gather more maps ther up you will see Plaza San Cuartel de Ballaja. After visiting
MUSEO DE SAN JUAN No all the sites in this area , descend
and books on Puerto Rico. Fol- Jose, this was the first plaza built thru Cristo St and turn at San
lowing straight that street you will Francisco St. In this area you will
find Paseo La Princesa, where in Old San Juan, In this point see Plaza de Armas. In this plaza
you will see the city wall, “La all the military drills where prac-
Muralla” was built between 1539 you will see a variety of sites, ticed Also in this point you will
and was completed in 1782. It there’s the Museo de Pablo Cas- see the city hall and two State
was built to protect the city. To sals, also the Museo de Nuestras Departments ,examples of 19th
Raices Africanas, and La Iglesia century neoclassical architecture
the end of the Paseo you will find de San Jose. Steps away to your
left you will reach the Parque del
the fountain “Raices”. If you Quinto Centenario, which is
continue straight on you will go perfect to photograph. And at this
thru La puerta de San Juan,
which dates back to 1520, and is point looking to your left you will
encounter the Fuerte San Felipe
one of the original entrances. A del Morro. Descending from the
little further up you will see La Fuerte you’ll walk to Norzagaray
Plazuela de la Rogativa. Turn St. where you’ll see the Museo de
las Americas and the Plaza del

Special points of inter- Other areas of importance in Old San Juan
est:
• PLAZA COLON Stepping out of the lobby and Plaza Colon. This plaza was the San Cristobal Castle, a
going left twice you’ll find renamed to honor Christo- strategic 5 independent units
• SAN CRISTOBAL CAS- pher Columbus on the 400th that rise above the sea and are
TLE yourself at Paseo de Colon,. anniversary of the discovery of connected by tunnels.
Walk up and right and after a Puerto Rico. To your left
• EL MORRO you’ll see the Casino de Prepared by:
little you’ll see a small plaza Puerto Rico which once was Mayling Melendez
• QUINTECENTIAL PARK with the statue of Arturo So- an upper class social club.
mohano Portela. Continue Immediately up the hill and
• PLAZA SAN JOSE straight on and you will see not to be missed, you’ll see
the Teatro Tapia. Just steps in
• SAN JUAN CATHEDRAL front of the theatre you’ll find

• CRISTO CHAPEL

• PASEO LA PRINCESA

• CITY WALL

• PLAZA DARSENA

• LA CASITA

Walking Tour page 2 SHERATON OLD SAN JUAN HOTEL

La Muralla, Paseo La Princesa and “Raices”

View of the Foun- La Muralla or Ciudad It was constructed using houses the Puerto Rico
tain “Raices” Amurallada is a wall sandstone bricks up to Tourism Company. They
located at the end that rounds the San 20 feet thick. have different art exhib-
of Paseo la Prin- Juan Bay. It begins near its monthly and they
cesa the Paseo la Princesa Paseo de la Princesa is a have different activities
and stretches just to beautiful promenade throughout the year.
Castillo de San Cristo- lined with trees, small Just a quick 5 minutes
bal. It’s main purpose parks , sculptures and walk after La Princesa
was to defend the city benches. In this area you’ ll see a sculpture
against enemy attacks. you will also find La called “Raices” . It is a
It was started in 1539 Princesa, this restored beautiful sculpture hon-
and completed in 1782. building which origi- oring our roots.
nally was a jail, now

La Puerta de San Juan

All official La Puerta de San Juan was Fortaleza or Palacio de de San Jose, La Puerta de
Welcome ceremonies one of the many doors that Santa Catalina and it was Santa Rosa, La Puerta de
served as entrances to the the main entrance thru the San Justo and La Puerta de
were done at La city. They were built strate- San Juan Bay for many Santiago. This last one was
Puerta de San Juan gically around the city wall years. All the official wel- located to the south of the
to control the access to the come ceremonies were San Cristobal Castle and in
since it was the city. These doors were done at this door. It wel- 1887 was destroyed along
closest to El Palacio opened and closed at cer- comed old Governors and with a part of the San Cris-
de Santa Catalina tain times to prevent at- new Governors as well as tobal Castle and part of La
tacks. La Puerta de San priests The other doors Muralla in an effort to ex-
Juan was the closest to La in the area were La Puerta pand the capital city.

Plazuela de La Rogativa

View of the Plazuela La Plazuela de La Rogativa is torches along with a priest. In the city, and in the morning
de La Rogativa one of the most interesting April 30,1797 the towns- the British army had fled the
Plazas in Old San Juan. Not women formed a religious Bay. This sculpture was made
only has a very curios story but procession (Rogativa) to by Lindsay Daen , a sculptor
also its location is without a march through the streets born in New Zealand, who
doubt a perfect spot for pic- with their Bishop, praying for received an invitation from
tures. Just a quick 5 minute the deliverance of the city. the Government in 1955 to
walk after visiting La Puerta Outside the walls the British work in the Island. He made
de San Juan you’ll find this invaders mistook the torch- this sculpture to commemo-
beautiful bronze sculpture of light movement for the arrival rate the city of San Juan’s
3 marching women with lit of Spanish troops to defend 450th anniversary

QUICK FACT: Page 3

La Santa Catedral Metropolitana Basílica Menor de View of La Santa
San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico Catedral Metropoli-
tana Basilica Menor
La Santa Catedral Metro- Manso was the first bishop with stones from different de San Juan Bautista
politana Basílica Menor de to conceive the idea of quarries. Started in 1521 de Puerto Rico
San Juan Bautista de Puerto building a church similar to and consecrated in 1865,
Rico or simply La Catedral the Metropolitan Cathedral more than 344 years and 48
de San Juan was one of the of Seville in Spain. After different priest passed in the
first churches erected in the much debate of where to process of construction .
old city. Its development erect this structure, it was in This church is still very well
was a slow one and through 1521 that the construction preserved and carries masses
the many years in its devel- was begun. The first church daily. It is also the burial
opment all other priest suf- was a simple structure of site of Juan Ponce de Leon,
fered from the same prob- wood with a straw roof, our first governor. The
lems: attacks, not enough which was destroyed by a Cathedral nowadays is still
funds, and government hurricane in 1526. Another
problems. Bishop Alonso church was began this time one of the sites most visited.

Plaza San Jose and San Jose Church

La Plaza San Jose is located at public, since it’s under recon- moved to the Cathedral. In During the first
the end of Calle del Cristo. struction but this church has this area you can also contem- Tuesday of each
It’s another of the oldest some of the oldest treasures. plate the Plaza San Jose, which month we have
churches in the Old San Juan Inside there’s a wooden cruci- in the middle has a statue of gallery nights, all
Area. La Iglesia de San Jose fix that was donated by Juan Juan Ponce de Leon. If you artisans gather at the
was built in 1530. It is one of Ponce de Leon himself. The get closer you’ll appreciate Plaza San Jose to sell
the examples of Gothic Archi- 15th century altar inside this better the texture of this and show their work
tecture. This church origi- church was brought from monument, it is made out of
nally was a Dominican Monas- Cadiz in Spain. La Iglesia de one of the British cannons
tery and chapel dedicated to San Jose was the original bur- capture while in battle in
St Thomas de Aquino. At the ial site of Juan Ponce de Leon, 1797.
moment it’s closed to the later on his remains were

Other Plazas in Old San Juan

There are five main Plazas in Centenario, which was built lon is located near to the View of the Plaza del
Old San Juan: Plaza San in October 1992, has two Castillo San Cristobal and in Quinto Centernario
Jose, Plazuela de la Roga- level that overlooks both the the center has a statue of
tiva, Plaza de Armas, Plaza Atlantic Ocean and the Chrsitopher Columbus.
Colon, and Plaza del Quinto Fuerte San Felipe del This plaza was renamed to
Centeranario. Plaza de Morro. This plaza was the honor the notable explorer
Armas is one of the most main attraction in the cele- on our 400 anniversary of
centric in the area. In the bration of our 500 anniver- the discovery of Puerto
past it was utilized for mili- sary of the discovery of Rico.
tary drills. Plaza del Quinto Puerto Rico. Plaza de Co-