When people think of churches in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, the first to come to mind is the grand Catedral de San Juan Bautista, but Old San Juan has a variety of churches, some which are easily missed among the colorful streets of the city.
Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud (Chapel of Christ the Savior)
Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud was built in 1753-1780 on top of the city walls. The placard near the chapel reads, “Legend traces its origin to a miraculous happening at the site.” A little bit of research revealed a few different stories, but generally, the story goes that in the 1750’s, there was a horse race. A young rider named Baltazar Montañez was unable to stop his horse, and rode off the cliff in the area where the chapel stands. Legend goes that the Secretary of the Government, Don Tomás Mateo Prats, or the young man himself, shouted out to Christ for him to be saved, and the young man was spared. Different versions of the story exist. Some report that the young man did not survive, and the chapel was placed at the end of the street to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again.
The west arch of the chapel opens to the aptly named Parque de las Palomas (Pigeon Park). You will find the chapel at the southern end of Calle del Cristo, where it meets Calle de Tetuán.
Capilla de Santa Ana (Iglesia Santa Ana)
Iglesia Santa Ana was constructed between 1847 and 1849, likely on the site of Ermita de Santa Ana (St. Anne’s Shrine) which dates back to the early days of Old San Juan. Its pink facade disguises it among the other buildings on the block. The church shares party walls with a residence to the west and the Convent de Santa Ana to the east. You can find Iglesia Santa Ana at 203 Calle de Tetuán.
Iglesia Defensores de la fe Templo La Hermosa (Church of the Defenders of the Faith, Beautiful Temple)
Another church sharing walls with adjoining structures is the sky blue, Iglesia Defensores de la fe Templo La Hermosa. It is a non-denominational church located at 261 Calle del Sol.
Iglesia de San Jose
Iglesia de San Jose dates back to 1532. The land upon which the church was built was donated by Governor Don Juan Ponce de León, who was also buried there in 1550. In 1836, his remains were exhumed and moved to the Catedral de San Juan Bautista.
In 2013, the National Trust for Historic Preservation added the church to its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. The church reopened in 2021 after an $11 million restoration. The church can be found off San Jose Plaza, between the statute of Juan Ponce de Leon and Tótem Telúrico.
Catedral de San Juan Bautista (Cathedral of St. John the Baptist)
One of the oldest and most recognizable buildings in San Juan, the Catedral de San Juan Bautista dates back to 1521. It was partly destroyed in 1615 by earthquake, was set on fire in 1625 by the retreating Dutch, and severely damaged in 1852 by hurricane. It is the oldest Cathedral in the United States, and is the seat of the Archdiocese of Puerto Rico. Inside, you will find the tomb of Juan Ponce de Leon, conquistador and first governor of Puerto Rico.
Across the street you will find the former Carmelite convent, converted into a hotel, El Convento, located at 100 Calle del Cristo. The Cathedral can be found on Calle del Cristo between Calle de la Luna and Calle de San Francisco.
There are so may unique places of worship to see walking the streets of Old San Juan. Enjoy!
Next up – The National Parks Service San Juan National Historic Site!
For more posts from Puerto Rico, check out the full list here.