The capital and largest city of the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, San Juan is located on the northeastern coast of the island. San Juan is a major port and tourist resort of the Caribbean. Also, because Puerto Rico is associated with the United States, San Juan is the oldest city under U.S. control. Modern San Juan mixes high-rise beach hotels and office buildings with historic buildings and churches.

Places of interest

The historic center of the city, called Old San Juan, is at the entrance to the harbor. One of the most popular sites in Old San Juan is the San Felipe del Morro fortress, also called El Morro. Built in the 16th century, El Morro stands on a hill about 150 feet (45 meters) above San Juan Bay. The fortress has many underground tunnels and passageways that were once used for defense. About a mile away is another fort, El Castillo de San Cristóbal, that was used to defend the inland area of San Juan. The governor's mansion, La Fortaleza, was also originally used as a fort. In 1983 part of San Juan, including these three structures, was named a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Other historic buildings include the Casa Blanca (White House), which was built in 1521 for the family of the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. Because he was the founder of San Juan, Ponce de León is buried in the San Juan Cathedral. Another important church is the San José Church, begun in 1532. San José Church is one of the oldest churches in the Western Hemisphere. Historic buildings also house some of San Juan's museums. La Casa del Callejon (House of the Narrow Street) includes a museum about Puerto Rican family life. La Casa del Libro (House of the Book) is a rare-book library and museum. The Museum of the Americas, which has a large exhibit on Latin American folk art, is located in a building that used to house Spanish troops.

San Juan also is a center of education and government. The Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico and the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico both have campuses in San Juan. The Puerto Rican legislature meets in the Capitol building. The resort areas of Condado, Ocean Park, and Isla Verde stretch out on white beaches outside of Old San Juan.

Economy

San Juan has a mixed economy, with factories and many kinds of services. San Juan is a center for banking and business. Many U.S. banks and corporations have large offices there. Tourism is also important because of the tropical climate, beaches, and casinos. San Juan's resort hotels are among the largest and finest in Latin America. In addition, many Caribbean cruise ships depart from San Juan.

History

The island was controlled by the Spanish when San Juan was founded by Juan Ponce de León in 1521. Throughout its history, many groups fought the Spanish for control of the city. Because of this, massive walls and forts were constructed for protection. In the 16th and 17th centuries, San Juan was an important center of trade, and goods such as sugar, coffee, cotton, and tobacco came through the city.

Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory in 1898. In the 20th century, San Juan spread into smaller towns such as Miramar, Santurce, and Condado along the coast. It also expanded out to Hato Rey, a modern financial district, and the town of Río Piedras. Together these and other towns make up the San Juan metropolitan area, which is now home to about one in three Puerto Ricans.

After the 1940s, many new factories were built in San Juan. The city continued to grow quickly as thousands of people moved there from rural farms and villages. Population, city (2000 estimate), 421,958; metropolitan area (1999 estimate), 1,366,000.