Puerto Rico · PR
San Juan
A walled city that held off Drake and the Dutch.
- Population
- 342,259 (2020 census)
- Named
- 1521
- World Heritage Site
- 1983
Then
- 1508
Juan Ponce de León founds Caparra. The settlement moves to this site a year later.
- 1521
It is named Ciudad de Puerto Rico de San Juan Bautista.
- 1595
El Morro drives off Sir Francis Drake. The Earl of Cumberland takes the city in 1598.
- 1625
Dutch forces sack the city but cannot take El Morro.
- 1983
Old San Juan's forts and walls become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Now
San Juan is the oldest European-founded city under US sovereignty and Puerto Rico's main seaport, with about 1.8 million cruise passengers in 2023.
2 tide stations around San Juan
- San Juan0.8 mi
- Boca de Cangrejos7.5 mi