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List of the oldest buildings in Puerto Rico

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This article lists the oldest extant buildings in Puerto Rico, including extant buildings and structures constructed prior to and during the United States rule over Puerto Rico since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898. Only buildings built prior to 1750 are suitable for inclusion on this list, or the building must be the oldest of its type.

In order to qualify for the list, a structure must:

  • be a recognizable building (defined as any human-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy);
  • incorporate features of building work from the claimed date to at least 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in height and/or be a listed building.

This consciously excludes ruins of limited height, roads and statues. Bridges may be included if they otherwise fulfill the above criteria. Dates for many of the oldest structures have been arrived at by radiocarbon dating or dendrochronology and should be considered approximate. If the exact year of initial construction is estimated, it will be shown as a range of dates.

List of oldest buildings

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Building Image Location First built Use Notes
La Casa Blanca Old San Juan 1521 Military, residence Located in the Old San Juan National Historic Landmark District.[1] Built as a fortified residence for Juan Ponce de León. The house has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.
San José Church Old San Juan 1532 Religious Located in the Old San Juan National Historic Landmark District.[1] Oldest church building and oldest monastery in Puerto Rico. Additions and renovations over the centuries. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.
La Fortaleza Old San Juan 1533 Government, military Located in the Old San Juan National Historic Landmark District[1] and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[2] Oldest executive mansion in the New World. Extensive reconstructions took place over the centuries.
Castillo San Felipe del Morro Old San Juan 1539 Military Part of the San Juan National Historic Site[3] and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[2] Built to defend the eastern entrance to the San Juan Bay and the Islet of San Juan. Construction started in 1539, with extensive additions over the centuries.
Cathedral of San Juan Bautista Old San Juan 1540 Religious Located in the Old San Juan National Historic Landmark District.[1] Oldest church building in the U.S. and its territories, original built in 1521 on modern-day location (extensive additions and renovations). The cathedral has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.
Basilica of the Virgin of Monserrat Hormigueros c. 1570 Religious Radiocarbon dating on the building foundations and the inner chapel dates to ca. 1570. The current church building was built during the second half of the 18th century.
San Juan City Hall Old San Juan 1604-1789 Government Oldest building used as a city hall in Puerto Rico, first built as the Cabildo de Puerto Rico. The main structure was built in stages between 1604 and 1789. The façade dates to 1840.[4]
Porta Coeli San Germán 1609 Religious The church has been on US territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898. Located in San Germán Historic District.[5]
Fortín San Juan de la Cruz Toa Baja 1610-1660 Military Part of the San Juan National Historic Site[3] and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[2] Built between 1610 and 1660 at the site of a former small wooden fortification which defended the western entrance to the San Juan Bay and the original mouth of the Bayamón River.[3]
Monasterio del Señor San José de la Orden de Nuestra Señora del Carmen Old San Juan 1646-1651 Religious Former nunnery and monastery founded in 1651, today a hotel known as Hotel El Convento. The current exterior dates to the second half of the 19th century.
Iglesia San Blas de Illescas Coamo 1661 Religious Considered one of the most important works of religious architecture in Puerto Rico.[6] The church has been on US territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.
Hermitage Church of Nuestra Señora de Valvanera of Coamo Coamo 1685 Religious Brick masonry chapel from 1685. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.[7]
Iglesia San Germán de Auxerre San Germán 1688 Religious This parish church was built in 1688. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.
Church Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y San Matías of Manatí Manatí 1729 Religious Originally in 1729 and underwent major repairs in 1864. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.
Parroquia del Espiritu Santo y San Patricio Loíza 1729 Religious This parish church was built in 1729. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.
Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes de San Miguel de Hato Grande San Lorenzo 1737 Religious Also known as Las Mercedes Church, this Classical Revival style building was built in 1737. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.
Alejandro Tapia y Rivera Theater Old San Juan 1824 Theater Oldest free-standing theater in San Juan and one of the oldest theaters in the Caribbean.[8]
La Princesa Prison Old San Juan 1837 Prison Oldest purpose-built prison in Puerto Rico.[9]
Ponce City Hall Ponce 1840 Government Oldest purpose-built city hall in Puerto Rico and oldest surviving building Ponce.[10]
United States Customs House in Ponce Ponce 1842 Government Oldest U.S. customs house in Puerto Rico and the only one of its type under the U.S. flag. Possibly also the oldest purpose-built post office in Puerto Rico.[11]
Casa de los Ponce de León San Germán 1842 Residence Allegedly the oldest continuously occupied home in Puerto Rico; home to Ponce De Leon family. Located in San Germán Historic District.[5] The house has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.
Port San Juan Light Old San Juan 1846 Lighthouse Oldest lighthouse structure in Puerto Rico.[12] Built onto El Morro, which is part the San Juan National Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[2]
Central San Vicente Vega Baja 1873 Refinery First sugarcane refinery to be built in Puerto Rico. Although most of the building is in ruins, its chimney and central brick structure and steam engines still remain.[13]
Iglesia de la Santísima Trinidad Ponce 1873 Religious Oldest non-Roman Catholic religious building and oldest Anglican and Protestant church building in Puerto Rico. Holy Trinity was still the only Protestant church in Puerto Rico at the time of the United States invasion in 1898. The current structure dates to 1926 and it preserves some of its former features such as its 1870 bell cast.[14]
Cape San Juan Light Fajardo 1880 Lighthouse Oldest free-standing lighthouse building in Puerto Rico.[15] It played a major role in the Battle of Fajardo during the Puerto Rican Campaign of the Spanish–American War in 1898.
Logia Masónica Hijos de la Luz Yauco 1894 Meeting hall Possibly the oldest built and certainly the oldest surviving purpose-built Masonic building in Puerto Rico.[16]
Yagüez Theater Mayagüez 1909 Theater Oldest surviving purpose-built movie theater in Puerto Rico.
Jose V. Toledo Federal Building and United States Courthouse Old San Juan 1914 Government Oldest U.S.-built post office, courthouse and federal building in Puerto Rico.[17]
Ponce High School Ponce 1915 Education Oldest purpose-built public school and high school building in Puerto Rico.[18]
Condado Vanderbilt Hotel Santurce 1919 Hotel First purpose-built luxury hotel and hotel casino in Puerto Rico.[19][20]
Museum of History, Anthropology and Art of the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras 1951 Museum Oldest purpose-built museum building in Puerto Rico.[21][22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Old San Juan Historic District---American Latino Heritage: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  2. ^ a b c d Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  3. ^ a b c Juan, Mailing Address: 501 Norzagaray Street San; Us, PR 00901 Phone: 787 729-6777 Contact. "Basic Information - San Juan National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Alcaldía de San Juan". Discover Puerto Rico. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  5. ^ a b "San German Historic District--Historic Places in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  6. ^ Church of San Blas de Illescas of Coamo
  7. ^ Marisa Gomez and Ester Cardona (July 1984). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Hermitage Church of Nuestra Señora de Valvanera of Coamo". National Park Service. Retrieved December 29, 2016. with photos
  8. ^ Donald Thompson (1990). "Notes on the Inauguration of the San Juan (Puerto Rico) Municipal Theater". Latin American Music Review. 11 (1): 84–91. doi:10.2307/780360. JSTOR 780360.
  9. ^ "Antigua Prisión La Princesa". Puerto Rico Historic Buildings Drawings Society. 2014-07-24. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
  10. ^ Discover Ponce's NeoClassical Buildings and Museums. Puertorico.com: Puerto Rico Channel. 2018. Accessed 28 March 2018.
  11. ^ U.S. Custom House listing at NRHP Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  12. ^ "Lighthouse Friends- Puerto San Juan". Retrieved 2009-04-01.
  13. ^ Universidad Interamericana - Recinto Metro (ed.). "Central San Vicente, Vega Baja". Centrales Azucareras de Puerto Rico (1873-2007). Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 9 Sep 2017.
  14. ^ Explore Puerto Rico, by Harry S. Pariser. San Francisco: Manatee Press, p. 244, Retrieved 30 November 2009
  15. ^ "Las Cabezas de San Juan Lighthouse - Municipalities | EnciclopediaPR".
  16. ^ Héctor F. Santiago (October 1987). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Logia Masonica Hijos de la Luz". National Park Service. Retrieved January 29, 2021. With accompanying eight photos
  17. ^ "U.S. Post Office and Courthouse Addition - San Juan PR". Living New Deal. 2019-07-26. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  18. ^ Maruja Candal Salazar and Neysa Rodriguez Deynes. Museo de la Historia de Ponce. Sala de Educacion. 30 December 2016.
  19. ^ Díaz, Alex (October 11, 2012). "Condado Vanderbilt opens for business on Oct. 16". Caribbean Business Puerto Rico. Casiano Communications Inc. Archived from the original on November 15, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
  20. ^ Myers, Nagle (October 10, 2010). "Condado Vanderbilt restoration to be completed in Spring". Travel Weekly. Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  21. ^ "Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte de Río Piedras". Universidad de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  22. ^ "Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte de la Universidad de Puerto Rico". Discover Puerto Rico. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
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