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84-505: Guajataca State Forest is located in the middle of the karst landscape country, particularly the Northern Karst zone of Puerto Rico. A karst is a topographical zone formed by the dissolution of soluble porous rocks, in this case limestone , with features such as mogotes , canyons, caves , sinkholes, streams and rivers, all of which are common on this region of the island. The forest has an average annual precipitation of 75 inches of rain

168-438: A tropical monsoon climate ( Am ) with year-round growing season . It has an average temperature of 81.0 °F (27.2 °C). Temperatures of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher are seen on an average 79 days annually, more commonly occurring during the wetter months of the northern summer, especially if the winds come from the south. In the winter, temperatures can drop to around 60 °F (16 °C). The average winter low

252-552: A direct impact in Puerto Rico, causing widespread damage and a collapse of the infrastructure in San Juan and the rest of Puerto Rico. The damage caused in 2017 was extensive, affecting the electricity, potable water supplies, transportation, and communication, but significant progress had been made in the capital by April 2019, and particularly by October 2019. This was significant for tourism, which had rebounded by October of that year and

336-608: A member of the "Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry" and Officer of the Day, on March 25, 1915, opened fire on the Odenwald , an armed German supply vessel, when it was trying to force its way out of San Juan's bay. The shots ordered by Lt. Marxuach were the first fired by the United States in World War I. In 1919, Félix Rigau Carrera , "El Aguila de Sabana Grande" (The Eagle from Sabana Grande ),

420-759: A number of entities such as the Municipality, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources , the National Park Service , the University of Puerto Rico and conservation easements . The San Juan Ecological Corridor is a conservation project by the Government of Puerto Rico consisting in 6 different units found within the municipality of San Juan: the Cupey Arboretum, which protects

504-682: A number of playgrounds for children. Its main attraction is the cableway that crosses the park and offers scenic views of the Piedras River and the city while providing transportation to the Roberto Clemente Coliseum and the Hiram Bithorn Stadium . The municipality of San Juan is home to various important ecosystems and preserved natural areas. Some of the ecosystems of the San Juan Bay National Estuary , which

588-519: A public housing project by the name of Residencial Fray Bartolome de Las Casas was constructed on its former location. On January 2, 1947, the people of San Juan elected Felisa Rincón de Gautier (also known as Doña Fela) (1897–1994) as their mayor. Thus, she became the first woman to be elected as the mayor of a capital city in any of the Americas. During the Cold War era, she ordered the establishment of

672-512: A reversal in practical use by most inhabitants: by 1746 the name for the city (Puerto Rico) had become that of the entire island, leading to the city being identified as Puerto Rico de Puerto Rico on maps of the era. San Juan, as a settlement of the Spanish Empire , was used by merchant and military ships traveling from Spain as the first stopover in the Americas . Because of its prominence in

756-572: A small indigenous fishing village have been found in Puerta de Tierra where the Puerto Rico National Guard Museum stands today, however most archaeological sites in the region have been destroyed and lost throughout the colonial history. The area of San Juan used to be the boundary between the tribal regions (yucayeques) of Guaynabo and Haimanio , led by the chiefs ( caciques ) Mabo and Yuisa (also known as Loaíza), respectively, at

840-426: A year. The average temperature is 76.5º F and the highest temperatures are usually reported during the months of July and August. The soil of the forest is formed by limestone outcrops typical of tropical karst zones characterized by mogotes separated by geological sinks. The Forest of Guajataca lies in the girdle tertiary limestone of northwestern Puerto Rico. The Aymamón and Aguada limestone zones are found within

924-426: Is 71 °F (22 °C). The coolest temperature officially recorded was 60 °F (16 °C) on March 3, 1957, and the hottest was 98 °F (37 °C) on October 9, 1981. The record cold daily maximum is 71 °F (22 °C) on February 4, 1935. The record warm daily minimum is 83 °F (28 °C) on August 11, 1995, the most recent of four occasions. With a mean minimum of 67 °F (19 C), San Juan

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1008-414: Is a topographical zone formed by the dissolution of soluble porous rocks, such as limestone , with features such as mogotes , canyons , caves , sinkholes , streams and rivers , all of which are common on this region of the island. Some of the island's main rivers, including its longest ( La Plata River ), traverse the karst and form some of the most distinctive Puerto Rican geographical features such as

1092-403: Is also home to a rich variety of buildings that showcase the history of Puerto Rican architecture throughout the past 120 years, with buildings designed by notable architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright 's student Henry Klumb , Edward H. Bennett , William E. Parsons , and Rafael Carmoega who designed the distinctive clock tower and the university quadrangle , both of which were inscribed in

1176-511: Is an accepted version of this page San Juan ( / ˌ s æ n ˈ hw ɑː n / san WHAHN , Spanish: [saŋ ˈxwan] ; Spanish for "Saint John ") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , an unincorporated territory of the United States . As of the 2020 census , it is the 57th-largest city under the jurisdiction of

1260-458: Is in USDA plant hardiness zone 13B, which is the highest category. Rainfall is well-distributed throughout the year. The months of January, February, and March are the driest. As March averages just 1.95 inches (49.5 mm) of rain, the city falls under the tropical monsoon category. Rainfall averages 56.35 inches (1,431.3 mm), falling on an average 198.5 days per year. Despite this dampness,

1344-711: Is partially located on the Mogote de San Patricio in San Juan and mogotes can also be seen at the Julio Enrique Monagas Park in Bayamon . The Arecibo River flows through a wide alluvial canyon called the Arecibo Valley (Spanish: Valle de Arecibo ). Highway PR-10 runs from north to south parallelly to the canyon and it provides access to Cueva Ventana , a cave located on one of its cliffs. Many important tributaries of

1428-596: Is the largest of its kind in the Caribbean and one of the most advanced in the Americas. San Juan is located along the north-eastern coast of Puerto Rico in the Northern Plains region. It lies south of the Atlantic Ocean; north of Caguas and Trujillo Alto ; east of Guaynabo ; and west of Carolina . The city occupies an area of 76.93 square miles (199.2 km ), of which, 29.11 square miles (75.4 km ) (37.83%)

1512-790: Is the only tropical estuary in the National Estuary Program network, are protected by numerous nature reserves and protected areas such as the Caño Martín Peña Nature Reserve . Other areas protected under the San Juan Bay National Estuary include El Condado Lagoon , the San José Lagoon and El Boquerón where the San Antonio Creek and the Condado Lagoon connect with the Atlantic Ocean. Two of

1596-459: Is very diverse, due to its size and all the cultural influences received during its existence. The oldest part of the city, known as Old San Juan , mostly features the influence of Spanish architecture . This part of the city is comprised by a network of "setted" roads usually surrounded by colonial, two-storied houses built on masonry . Some colonial structures have been restored and serve either as government offices or museums. Some examples are

1680-516: Is water. San Juan's main water bodies are San Juan Bay and two natural lagoons, the Condado and San José . At almost 1,030 feet (314 m) above sea level, the highest point in the municipality of San Juan is located on an unnamed hill on the Morcelo sector of Caimito , close to the municipal border with Caguas . The municipality of San Juan is surrounded by the San Juan metropolitan area , particularly

1764-721: The Ballajá Barracks , which now serve as museum and headquarters of several cultural organizations; La Fortaleza , which has served as the residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico since the 16th Century; and the Ancient Welfare Asylum, which now houses the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, among others. Old San Juan also features several public squares, like the Plaza de Armas , located in front of San Juan City Hall; and cathedrals, like

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1848-517: The Camuy caverns . Many of these rivers feed into and are important in the formation of many marshy areas such as the Caño Tiburones wetlands. A mogote (English: /məˈɡoʊti/, Spanish: /moˈgote/) is an isolated hill with steep, almost vertical, walls that are completely or partially surrounded by alluvial plains. These hills are a characteristic feature of northern Puerto Rico and they can be seen along

1932-695: The Capitol of Puerto Rico is home to the Iglesias Pantín and Rafael Hernández Marín parks, and a line of monuments located along Constitución Avenue which includes the Walkway of the Presidents , the Puerto Rico Police Memorial Monument and The Holocaust Memorial Monument. The Loma de los Vientos , or Loma del Viento (Spanish for "hill of winds"), is a small open green area located northwest of

2016-557: The Cathedral of San Juan Bautista . Old San Juan is also notable for being partly enclosed by massive walls and fortifications built by the Spanish government . The colonial Walls of the city of San Juan had five gates. The main was the Puerta de San Juan, today preserved, built in 1635. It also had the Puerta de San José, the Puerta de Santa Rosa, the Puerta de San Justo and the Puerta de Santiago,

2100-596: The Caño Martín Peña Nature Reserve . Luis Muñoz Marín Park , La Merced Park, Dr. José N. Gándara Park, Santiago Iglesias Pantín Park are some of the parks located in Hato Rey. Luis Muñoz Marín Park is one of the largest in the municipality. It is located in the Gobernador Piñero district between Hato Rey and Puerto Nuevo . The park has gazebos that can be rented for events, green areas for strolls, biking and picnics, an artificial lake with paddleboats for rent ($ 6), and

2184-600: The French Revolutionary Wars , led by Sir Ralph Abercromby (who had just conquered Trinidad ). His army laid siege to the city but was forced to withdraw in defeat as the Puerto Rican defenses proved more resilient than those of Trinidad. Various events and circumstances, including liberalized commerce with Spain, the opening of the island to immigrants as a direct result of the Royal Decree of Graces of 1815 , and

2268-521: The metropolitan statistical area , including San Juan and the municipalities of Bayamón , Guaynabo , Cataño , Canóvanas , Caguas , Toa Alta , Toa Baja , Carolina and Trujillo Alto , is about 2.443 million inhabitants; thus, about 76% of the population of Puerto Rico now lives and works in this area. San Juan is also a principal city of the San Juan-Caguas-Fajardo Combined Statistical Area . The city has been

2352-976: The riparian ecosystems along the Río Piedras ; the Doña Inés Mendoza Urban Forest , a small urban forest located next to the Luis Muñoz Marín Foundation in Sabana Llana Sur ; Los Capuchinos Forest , a forest which covers a small karst area also in Sabana Llana Sur; the New Millennium State Forest , one of the 20 state forests of Puerto Rico ; the San Juan Waterworks , consisting of the Old Piedras River Aqueduct and adjacent historic district ; and

2436-656: The 20 state forests of Puerto Rico are located in the municipality of San Juan: the New Millennium Urban Forest , which is also part of the San Juan Ecological Corridor, and the San Patricio Urban Forest , a secondary forest located next to a mogote . The Hermanas Sendra and San Juan Park Protected Natural Areas are located inland within the municipality of San Juan in the barrios of Caimito and Cupey . The architecture of San Juan

2520-564: The Arecibo River, such as the Tanamá and Caonillas Rivers , flow into the canyon. Dos Bocas Lake is a reservoir located in the southern edge of the valley. The Río Abajo State Forest is located nearby. The Camuy Canyon (Spanish: Cañón del Río Camuy ) is formed by the Camuy River , which flows from the cave system of the same name in the south. The canyon also constitutes the border between

2604-616: The Capitol, next to Castle San Cristóbal , and it often hosts events such as the Epiphany celebrations. Luis Muñoz Rivera Park is a 27.2 acre recreational and historic park located in Puerta de Tierra , between Luis Muñoz Rivera, Ponce de León and Constitución avenues. It is the largest public square in Puerto Rico, and it is home to several historic sites such as the Polvorín San Gerónimo de Boquerón , which used to supply gunpowder to

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2688-527: The Caribbean, the beaches of San Juan are currently under the threat of coastal erosion , particularly that of Ocean Park. The threat has become more evident recently and there are currently no state reports dedicated to the documentation or mitigation planning, according to oceanographer and geologist Maritza Barreto. The municipality of San Juan contains numerous parks, including public parks, historic and heritage parks, nature reserves, protected natural areas, and recreational parks. These parks are managed by

2772-672: The Caribbean, a network of fortifications was built to protect the transports of gold and silver from the New World to Europe. Because of the rich cargoes, San Juan became a target of the foreign powers of the time. San Juan underwent attacks from the English led by Sir Francis Drake in 1595 (in what is known as the Battle of Puerto Rico ) and by George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland , in 1598. Artillery from San Juan's fort, El Morro , repelled Drake; however, Clifford managed to land troops and lay siege to

2856-609: The Cueva de Viento, the park's most popular feature. Guajataca Lake is a reservoir of the Guajataca River located in close proximity to the forest. The lake is located in the boundary between the municipalities of Isabela , Quebradillas and San Sebastián . The camping areas and fishing facilities found by the lake are often confused with the Guajataca State Forest or incorrectly associated with it even if they are outside of

2940-501: The NRHP in 1984. As with the other Puerto Rican municipalities, San Juan is administratively divided into barrios . What is now known as Old San Juan occupied the western end of a rocky islet, the Isleta de San Juan , at the mouth of San Juan Bay. During the 20th century, the main population centers surged well beyond the walls of the old city and onto Puerto Rico's main island and merged with

3024-649: The Spanish freighter Rita in San Juan Bay, thus being the first hostile encounter between the warring sides in Puerto Rico. On May 9, Yale fought a brief battle with an auxiliary cruiser of Spain, name unknown, resulting in a Spanish victory. Around this time, Captain Ángel Rivero Méndez was assigned the command of the Spanish forces in the fortress of San Cristóbal in San Juan. On May 10, Yale returned to San Juan Bay, Rivero-Méndez ordered his men to open fire upon Yale using an Ordoñez 15-centimeter cannon, thus becoming

3108-522: The United States, with a population of 342,259. San Juan was founded by Spanish colonists in 1521, who called it Ciudad de Puerto Rico (Spanish for "Rich Port City"). Puerto Rico's capital is the second oldest European-established capital city in the Americas, after Santo Domingo , in the Dominican Republic , founded in 1496, and is the oldest European-established city under United States sovereignty . Several historical buildings are located in

3192-585: The United States. Among the uprising's main objective was to attack La Fortaleza and the United States Federal Court House Building in Old San Juan . The "La Fortaleza battle", which ensued between the nationalists and the police lasted 15 minutes and ended when four of the five attackers were killed. San Juan has experienced periods of both stagnation and development in the recent years. Gentrification has been noticeable in areas of

3276-668: The University of Puerto Rico Botanical Garden, also known as the San Juan Botanical Garden . The San Juan National Historic Site is home to El Morro Esplanade , a large open area located between El Morro and Ballajá in Old San Juan . The esplanade is located in the promontory which gives El Morro its name and it offers views of the San Juan Bay and the rest of San Juan. It is very popular for activities such as picnics, stargazing and kite flying . The district of

3360-476: The Wind is a cave found within the forest that is often considered the highlight of the reserve for visitors. The entrance to the cave is down 40 steps and strong flashlights are required to visit as the cave has no lighting installed due to the presence of cavern wildlife. The cave is often muddy and slippery due to the frequent rain and waters that flows through the karstic zone and even if there are hand railings through

3444-595: The cave visitors must be cautious about where they walk. Although the entrance area of the cave has been broken-off by past visitors it still contains numerous interesting geological formations including stalagmites and stalactites . The caverns are home to numerous bat species and bat colonies so visitors must be cautious not to disturb them while visiting the cave. The forest is located about 2 hours from San Juan and about 1 hour from Rincón . It can be accessed through PR-446 highway in Isabela . In addition to Cueva de Viento

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3528-540: The city averages 2,970 hours of sunshine per year, or just over 2 ⁄ 3 of the possible total. Annual rainfall has historically ranged from 35.53 in (902 mm) in 1991 to 89.50 in (2,273 mm) in 2010. As with other parts of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, San Juan is often blanketed by waves of Saharan dust coming from the Sahara across the Atlantic Ocean in Northern Africa . Although beneficial to

3612-420: The city from the attack and save the island from an invasion. On October 21, Enrico set La Fortaleza and the city ablaze. Captains Amézqueta and Andrés Botello decided to put a stop to the destruction and led 200 men in an attack against the enemy's front and rear guard. They drove Enrico and his men from their trenches and into the ocean in their haste to reach their ships. The British attack in 1797, during

3696-462: The city such as Loíza Street in Santurce and Santa Rita in Río Piedras. In recent years the city has been the location of multiple strikes and protests, such as the 2001 protests against the United States Navy in the island municipality of Vieques , the 2010 and 2011 University of Puerto Rico strikes , and the 2019 protests against Governor Ricardo Rosselló which resulted in his resignation. On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria made

3780-420: The city. After a few months of English occupation, Clifford was forced to abandon the siege when his troops began to suffer from exhaustion and sickness. In 1625 the city was sacked by Dutch forces led by Captain Balduino Enrico (also known as Boudewijn Hendricksz/Bowdoin Henrick), but El Morro withstood the assault and was not taken. The Dutch were counterattacked by Captain Juan de Amézqueta and 50 members of

3864-405: The civilian militia on land and by the cannons of the Spanish troops in El Morro castle. The land battle left 60 Dutch soldiers dead and Enrico with a sword wound to his neck which he received from the hands of Amézqueta. The Dutch ships at sea were boarded by Puerto Ricans who defeated those aboard. After a long battle, the Spanish soldiers and volunteers of the city's militia were able to defend

3948-432: The colonial revolutions, led to an expansion of San Juan and other Puerto Rican settlements in the late 18th and early 19th century. On May 8, 1898, United States Navy ships, among them USS  Detroit , USS  Indiana , USS  New York , USS  Amphitrite , USS  Terror and USS  Montgomery , commanded by Rear Admiral William T. Sampson arrived at San Juan Bay. USS  Yale captured

4032-402: The district of Santurce , served as the main training camp for the Puerto Rican soldiers prior to World War I and World War II; the majority of the men trained in this facility were assigned to the "Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry" which was renamed the 65th Infantry Regiment of the United States Army by the Reorganization Act of June 4, 1920. The 65th Infantry was deactivated in 1956 and became

4116-410: The existing settlements east and south of Old San Juan. Together with Puerta de Tierra , Old San Juan comprises the barrio of San Juan Antiguo . With the annexation of Río Piedras in 1951, the municipality of San Juan grew to four times its previous size. As a result, the municipality also went from 2 to 18 barrios (barrios), 16 of which fall within the former municipality of Río Piedras . Eight of

4200-401: The first Puerto Rican pilot, became the first native Puerto Rican to fly an aircraft in the island when he flew his Curtiss JN-4 from Las Casas. At the time, the area was used by the military as an air base and it was also Puerto Rico's first commercial airport, and Rigau Carrera was allowed to perform his historic flight from the airfield. Camp Las Casas was eventually closed down, and in 1950

4284-439: The first attack against the Americans in Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War . For his actions, Captain Rivero-Méndez was awarded the "Cruz de la Orden de Mérito Militar" (The Cross of the Order of the Military Merit) first class. The residents of San Juan were furious with Rivero and blamed him for the destruction caused to their city by the American bombardments. Nothing came of those accusations and Capt. Rivero-Méndez

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4368-435: The forest boundaries. The lake area is nonetheless a very popular camping, kayaking and fishing spot in the region and some of its facilities are also managed by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. Northern Karst (Puerto Rico) The Northern Karst Belt ( Spanish : Cinturón del Carso Norteño ) is a limestone karst landscape located in the northwestern region of Puerto Rico . A karst

4452-467: The forest has the infrastructure for camping, picnics and more than 44 km of hiking trails. Camping in the forest is $ 4 a night for adults and $ 2 a night for children, and camping spaces must be reserved in advance through the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources . There is no admission fee for visiting or hiking in the forest. Guajataca Forest contains the largest trail system of any forest in Puerto Rico, including El Yunque National Forest. Most of

4536-404: The forest, out of which 156 are native, 7 are introduced and 40 are endemic to Puerto Rico. Some of the endemic tree species are the ceboruquillo ( Thouinia striata ) and the so called macho cedar ( Hieronyma clusioides ). Other common species of forest are the bullet tree ( Terminalia buceras ), the Spanish elm ( Cordia alliodora ) and the white indigo berry ( Randia aculeata ). Due to

4620-422: The forest. The Aymamón limestone is characterized by sub-conical hills called mogotes while the Aguada limestone is characterized by its caves . The forest preserve dates to 1943 when the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration set the area aside for the purpose of preserving the flora and fauna of the karstic region. The forest was included in the 1975 proclamation of Law 133 which adds further protection to

4704-445: The forests in the state forest system. The forest is now managed by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA). The vegetation of the forest is split into two zones: the montane vegetation found in the mogotes and steepest parts of the forest (76% of the forest area) and the lowland vegetation found along the valleys and flatter areas (24% of the forest area). There are more than 186 tree species found in

4788-411: The highly urbanized municipalities of Guaynabo , Trujillo Alto and Carolina . These municipalities, together with Bayamón and Cataño , form what is locally referred to as the Área Metro , the core of the wider San Juan metropolitan area. In total 41 municipalities are included in the entire metropolitan area extends throughout the island's northern coast and central eastern regions. San Juan has

4872-466: The historic district of Old San Juan ; among the most notable are the city's former defensive walls , Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristóbal , and La Fortaleza , the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas. These historic sites were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Today, San Juan is Puerto Rico's most important seaport and is the island's financial, cultural, and tourism center . The population of

4956-431: The host of events within the sports community, including the 1979 Pan American Games ; 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games ; events of the 2006, 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classics ; the Caribbean Series and the Special Olympics and MLB San Juan Series in 2010. The Taíno people were the original inhabitants of the area before the arrival of the Europeans to the island of Puerto Rico in 1493. Remains of

5040-409: The island's first Civil Defense system under the directorship of Colonel Gilberto José Marxuach (Teófilo's son). Rincón de Gautier served as mayor until January 2, 1969. On October 30, 1950, San Juan was the scene of the San Juan Uprising , one of many uprisings which occurred in various towns and cities in Puerto Rico, by the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party against the governments of Puerto Rico and

5124-485: The islet due to its shore being protected from the strong Atlantic Ocean waves by reefs that serve as natural breakwaters . From east to west, the beaches in Santurce include Ocean Park Beach (also known as Último Trolley Beach), Condado Beach and Playita del Condado . Ocean Park Beach and El Condado Beach are the largest in the city and they host a large number of hotels and businesses that cater to tourists and beachgoers. As with other beaches across Puerto Rico and

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5208-407: The large number of caves found in the karstic areas, the forest is home to numerous bat species, most notably the Jamaican fruit bat ( Artibeus jamaicensis ) which is very common in the region. The endangered Puerto Rican boa ( Epicrates inornatus ) is also found in the forest. There are more than 70 bird species, out of which 26 are native, 26 are migratory and 12 are endemic to the island. Some of

5292-461: The latter built between 1635 and 1641 by Spanish Captain General Íñigo de la Mota Sarmiento. The architecture is more varied in other districts of the city, and the different Spanish , American and Puerto Rican construction styles that reflect the historic architecture trends are most evident in the districts of Puerta de Tierra , Santurce , Hato Rey and downtown Río Piedras , with Gothic , Baroque , Art Deco , and Mid-Century Modern being

5376-417: The mid-18th century and it is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Another historic district currently under revitalization is the San Juan Waterworks historic district which contains the Old Piedras River Aqueduct. There are plans to revitalize the old aqueduct structures and its surroundings to create a historic park open to visitors and researchers. Some of the recreational parks of

5460-492: The most common endemic species are the Puerto Rican woodpecker ( Melanerpes portoricencis ), the Puerto Rican tody ( Todus mexicanus ), the Puerto Rican screech owl ( Otus nudipes ), the Puerto Rican vireo ( Vireo latimeri ), the Puerto Rican flycatcher ( Myiarchus antillarum ), the Puerto Rican bullfinch ( Loxigilla portoricensis ), the Puerto Rican spindalis ( Spindalis portoricensis ) and Adelaide's warbler ( Setophaga adelaidae ). The Cueva del Viento or Cave of

5544-403: The most notable of these the battles of Yauco and Asomante . All military actions in Puerto Rico were suspended August 13, 1898, after President William McKinley and French Ambassador Jules Cambon , acting on behalf of the Spanish government, signed an armistice . Spain ceded the island to the United States later the same year by signing the Treaty of Paris . Camp Las Casas , located in

5628-483: The most popular styles. Many of the buildings that best exemplify these architectural trends in San Juan are also inscribed in the United States National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), such as the Nuestra Señora de Lourdes Chapel ( Gothic Revival , 1907), the Antiguo Casino de Puerto Rico ( Beaux-Arts , 1917), the Normandie Hotel ( Art Deco , 1942), and the Puerto Rico Supreme Court Building ( Modern , 1955). The University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus

5712-406: The municipalities of Camuy and Hatillo . Other caves in the area are Cueva Espiral and Cueva Catedral . The Tres Pueblos sinkhole is also located nearby. The Guajataca River flows into the Atlantic passing through a canyon called the Guajataca Valley (Spanish: Valle de Guajataca ), between the municipalities of Isabela and Quebradillas . The Guajataca State Forest is located along

5796-414: The municipality include Bahía Urbana , a waterfront park located in Old San Juan and Puerta de Tierra by the San Juan Bay; the Paseo de Puerta de Tierra , a recreational walkway along the Atlantic Ocean cliffs of Puerta de Tierra that connects the Puerto Rico Capitol with El Escambrón Beach and Luis Muñoz Rivera Park. Ventana al Mar , Laguna del Condado Jaime Benítez Park, Parque del Indio are some of

5880-426: The nearby Fortín de San Gerónimo . The park used to host a small zoo, and currently hosts gazebos, gardens, restaurants and access to the beach. The park has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since November 14, 2007. The Polvorin de Miraflores is a historic district and park located next to the Puerto Rico Convention Center in Isla Grande , Santurce . The ammunition storage house dates to

5964-422: The newer settlement was given its formal name: Ciudad de Puerto Rico de San Juan Bautista . Many of the oldest European-founded institutions in the Western Hemisphere, such as the Santo Tomás de Aquino Convent and the Nuestra Señora de la Concepción Hospital, were established during this time in San Juan. The ambiguous use of San Juan Bautista and Puerto Rico for both the city and the island in time led to

6048-625: The north coast from Aguadilla and Rincón in the west to Canóvanas in the east. The highest mogote in the Northern Karst is Cerro El Sombrero in Isabela, Puerto Rico at 1,069 feet (326 m) of elevation. Some renown mogote areas are the town of Florida , located on an alluvial valley completely surrounded by them, and the Arecibo Telescope which was built into a natural sinkhole surrounded by mogotes in Arecibo . The San Patricio State Forest

6132-525: The only unit ever to be transferred from an active Army component to the Puerto Rico National Guard . Lieutenant Teófilo Marxuach (retired as a Lieutenant Colonel), a native of Arroyo, Puerto Rico , fired what is considered to be the first shot of World War I fired by the regular armed forces of the United States against any ship flying the colors of the Central Powers . Marxuach, who was

6216-830: The parks located in El Condado district of Santurce. Dr. José Celso Barbosa Park is located in Ocean Park , also in Santurce. Parque Central , also known as the San Juan Municipal Central Park, is a large park and recreational complex located in southern Santurce near the mouth of the Puerto Nuevo River and the Martín Peña Channel . The Enrique Martí Coll Linear Park connects the Central Park to Hato Rey through

6300-519: The population for these intense episodes by both local authorities and the EPA . Hurricane Maria made landfall in southeastern Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. Gusts of up to 113 mph (182 km/h) were reported in the capital city shortly before landfall in the municipality of Yabucoa . The municipality of San Juan experienced widespread flooding in most coastal areas, and roofs were blown off from numerous structures. The neighborhood of La Perla

6384-585: The public. All beaches of San Juan face the Atlantic Ocean. The Islet of San Juan hosts Los Cables Beach and La Perla Beach next to the Old San Juan district of La Perla , the Capitolio Beach located immediately north of the Puerto Rico Capitol, Puerta de Tierra Beach along the Paseo de Puerta de Tierra , and El Escambrón Beach at the northeastern edge of the islet. The latter is the most popular beach in

6468-552: The time of the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors . In 1508, Juan Ponce de León founded the original settlement which he called Caparra . It was named after a former Roman city in the province of Cáceres in Spain, the birthplace of Nicolás de Ovando , then the Governor of Spain's Caribbean territories. Today, it is part of the Pueblo Viejo district of Guaynabo , directly to

6552-484: The trails begin by the ranger station, which also hosts an information center although it is not always open and it is recommended to call the rangers' office beforehand. The most popular hike is the 1.5-mile Interpretative Trail (Spanish: Vereda Interpretativa ) which leads to an observation tower that offer some of the best views of the karstic countryside. Trail #1 starts off the Interpretative Trail and leads to

6636-526: The tropical environment, these dust storms have recently become hazardous to human health causing haze and overheating in urban areas of the island. Due to San Juan's relatively flat geography, the dust often settles in these flat coastal regions of Puerto Rico as its flow is blocked by the higher altitude Cordillera Central to the south, causing intense episodes of haze to settle for long periods of time, especially during periods of more scarce rainfall. Recent advancements include early warning systems to prepare

6720-507: The west of the modern municipality of San Juan. A year later, the settlement was moved to a site then called Puerto Rico , Spanish for "rich port" or "good port", after its similar geographical features to the town of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands . The local Catholic diocese , the second oldest in the Americas and the oldest in the United States, was founded in the newly built settlement on August 8 of 1511. In 1521,

6804-561: The western edge of the valley. The karst region of Puerto Rico holds the most extensive forest canopy cover on the island due to its rugged topography; the Northern Karst is considered of high potential for recovery of endangered species , including the Puerto Rican parrot ( Amazona vittata ). This area has the highest biodiversity in the island with 1,300 species of plants and animals, including 30 federally listed threatened and endangered species. San Juan, Puerto Rico This

6888-486: Was close to the pre-Maria era. San Juan today remains an important cultural, financial and industrial center not only of Puerto Rico but of the Caribbean region. As the biggest industrial center of Puerto Rico, it is the home of industries such as tobacco processors, breweries, refining facilities for petroleum and sugar, and distillers of rum as well as manufacturers of metal products, cement, pharmaceuticals, and clothing. The Puerto Rico Convention Center , opened in 2005,

6972-511: Was largely destroyed. In the wider metropolitan area, flooding from Lake La Plata produced flash floods that trapped residents of Toa Baja , and in Cataño the Juana Matos neighborhood was estimated to be 80% destroyed. At least eight people died from the flooding, while many were unaccounted for. See or edit raw graph data . San Juan is home to numerous beaches , all of which are open to

7056-595: Was ordered to turn over the keys of all the military installations in San Juan to Captain Henry A. Reed of the U.S. Army after the Treaty of Paris of 1898 was signed. On July 25, General Nelson A. Miles landed at Guánica (in southwestern Puerto Rico) with 3,300 soldiers in what was known as the Puerto Rican Campaign . The American troops found some resistance and engaged the Spanish and Puerto Rican troops in battle,

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