EL JAYA | Generales

By Rafael Roque E.
Many Dominicans traveling to Puerto Rico haven’t the faintest idea about the beauty of its capital “San Juan” because they go to Rio Piedra or some other cities where commercial activities are more dynamic. Others (Specially illegal aliens) use this island as a springboard to fly to New York or other American cities looking for the “American Dream”. But those who like to know the history of other people and acquire their culture – in this case, go to San Juan, where they can find what they’re looking for. Old San Juan was founded in 1521. It stands on the western end of a rugged, rocky islet that is bordered on the north by the Atlantic and on the south and west by a vast and graceful bay. On the eastern side, historic San Antonio Bridge joins the islet to the mainland of Puerto Rico.

The colonial city shows its best side from the harbor. Built on natural slopes, the crowdest clusters of buildings take the form of a great amphitheater framed by a formidable ring of walls and castles. A combination of old houses and modern buildings imparts variety to the cityscape, and gives San Juan its colorful and picturesque character. It is a city with a proud and rich heritage, tempered by ancient calamities of war, pirate attacks, earthquakes, and hurricanes.

The face of colonial Spain, undisturbed by modern innovations, can still be seen in the streets of San Juan – cobblestone paving, inner patios and courtayards, overhanging balconies, and religious shrines.

But the city´s most impressive features are the old castles and fortifications, which both provided defense and restricted its growth. Now part of the national historic site, they include the castles of El Morro and San Cristobal, El Cañuelo Fort, and most of the city walls.

El Morro is a massive fortification named for the patron saint of spain´s King Philip II. It is the oldest of the two great forts that anchored the sea and landward defenses of San Juan. Bautista Antonelli, a prominent italian engineer in the service of Philip II, contributed the first desing concepts in the 16th century. The way El Morro looks today is largely the work of Thomas O´Daly, a spanish military engineer. The fort attained its present form late in the 18th century.

El Cañuelo is a small masonry fortification. It stands close to the main channel into San Juan Habor. A circular, wooden stockage defended this site in the 16th century, but Dutch attackers burned it in 1625. But now I must finish this article hoping that you visit these sites in your next journey to Puerto Rico.