Historic Site · San Juan, Puerto Rico
Old San Juan
Old San Juan (Spanish: Viejo San Juan) is a historic district or quarter located at the 'northwest triangle' of San Juan Islet in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Built 1521.
Photo: P. Hughes via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | 1521 |
| Area | Area: 0.95 km² |
| Coordinates | 18.4664° N, 66.1103° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Old San Juan is known for
Old San Juan (Spanish: Viejo San Juan) is a historic district or quarter located at the 'northwest triangle' of San Juan Islet in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
About Old San Juan
Old San Juan (Spanish: Viejo San Juan) is a historic district or quarter located at the 'northwest triangle' of San Juan Islet in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Old San Juan is the oldest settlement within Puerto Rico and the historic colonial district of the city of San Juan. This historic district is a Puerto Rico Registered Historic Zone and a National Historic Landmark District, Old San Juan Historic District, and is also listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places. Several historical buildings and structures, particularly La Fortaleza, the city walls, and El Morro and San Cristóbal castles, have been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list since 1983.
History
In 1508, Juan Ponce de León founded the original settlement, Caparra. In 1509, the settlement was abandoned and moved to a site which was called at the time 'Puerto Rico'. In 1521, this new settlement was given its formal name of 'Ciudad de Puerto Rico de San Juan Bautista'.
How to get there
| Nearest town | San Juan |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG) |
| Distance from the airport | 1.0 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) · San Juan, Puerto Rico · 7.4 miles away
- Cyril E. King Airport (STT) · Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands · 74.8 miles away
- Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport (EIS) · Beef Island, British Virgin Islands · 102.8 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Puerto Rico
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Old San Juan?
Old San Juan (Spanish: Viejo San Juan) is a historic district or quarter located at the 'northwest triangle' of San Juan Islet in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Where is Old San Juan located?
Old San Juan is in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Its coordinates are 18.4664° N, 66.1103° W.
How do I get to Old San Juan?
The nearest town is San Juan, and the nearest airport is Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG), about 1.0 miles away (straight line).
When was Old San Juan built?
Old San Juan was built 1521.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_San_Juan — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1136674 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.