San Juan Islet
Native name: Isleta de San Juan | |
|---|---|
Old San Juan quarter from El Morro fortress (left) to San Cristóbal fortress (right) in the western half of San Juan Islet Puerta de Tierra district (foreground) in the eastern half of the Islet from San Cristóbal Western Puerta de Tierra Central Puerta de Tierra Eastern Puerta de Tierra from Guillermo Esteves Bridge Eastern Puerta de Tierra from Dos Hermanos Bridge | |
Satellite image of San Juan Islet, 2016 | |
 Interactive map of San Juan Islet | |
| Other name | La Isleta ("The Islet") |
| Geography | |
| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 18°28′0.43″N 66°6′26.47″W / 18.4667861°N 66.1073528°W |
| Archipelago | Puerto Rico |
| Area | 7.8 km2 (3.0 sq mi) |
| Puerto Rico | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 6,383 (2020) |
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San Juan Islet (Spanish: Isleta de San Juan) is an islet or small island on San Juan Bay in the northeastern Atlantic coast of the archipelago and island of Puerto Rico. Covering 3 sq mi (7.8 km2) in the north-central part of the metropolitan area of San Juan, the capital city and municipality, the islet is organized as a barrio of San Juan under the name of San Juan Antiguo. It is divided into seven districts, namely Puerta de Tierra in the east, and Ballajá, Catedral, Mercado, San Cristóbal, San Francisco, and Marina in the west, which collectively comprise the original capital city under Spanish Empire rule, today the Old San Juan quarter. Since 1521, it has served as the seat of government in Puerto Rico, making it the site of the oldest permanent European settlement in the territory, and the second-oldest continuous capital city in the Americas, after Santo Domingo in Hispaniola.[1]
History
[edit]San Juan Islet had been inhabited since before the Spanish arrival to the Caribbean in 1492. Remains of a shell shed and a fishing site were uncovered in 1937 (near the modern-day Puerto Rico National Guard Museum) in by archaeologist Irving Rouse from Yale University.[2]
The island was first mapped in 1519 with the intention of surveying possible sites for a future home for the settlers of Caparra.[3] Road connection with the main island of Puerto Rico was not completed until 1519.[4] The town of Puerto Rico de San Juan Bautista was officially founded on July 20, 1521.[5] Construction of La Fortaleza, the Casa de la Contratación and Juan Ponce de León's residence of Casa Blanca began the same year.[6][7] With the establishment of a port and other militaristic infrastructure, the original colonial settlement of San Juan kept growing in size until the 18th century when the town of El Roble (today Río Piedras) took its place as the largest urban center in the region.[8]
Geography
[edit]
San Juan Islet is a small island measuring 3-square-mile (7.8 km2). It is separated from the main island of Puerto Rico by El Boquerón and the San Antonio Channel (Caño de San Antonio).[9] The island is hilly and rocky. With the exception of its western end and its south coast, the island is partially surrounded by cliffs, and promontories such as El Morro in its northwestern end.
Human geography
[edit]The population center of Isleta de San Juan can be divided into west and east. Its western part includes the neighborhoods (subbarrios) of Ballajá, Catedral, Mercado, San Cristóbal, San Francisco and Marina that constitute Old San Juan, and its eastern part constitutes the neighborhood of Puerta de Tierra, location of many of Puerto Rico's government buildings such as its capitol building.
Culture
[edit]The historic Normandie Hotel is located in the Isleta de San Juan.[10]
Demographics
[edit]Its population in 2010 was about 7,000.[11]
Transportation
[edit]Isleta de San Juan is connected to the main island of Puerto Rico by three bridges and a causeway. Dos Hermanos Bridge connects it to El Condado, while the San Antonio Bridges connect it with Isla Grande.[12] Although no longer in use, the San Antonio Railroad Bridge is still preserved today. It used to provide railway connection between Old San Juan's Covadonga Terminal and the rest of Puerto Rico.[13][14]
Traffic into the island is normally closed during the San Sebastián Street Festival.[15][16]
Gallery
[edit]
Silhouette of Statues in Isleta de San Juan
Traffic in Isleta de San Juan
La Fortaleza and City Wall of San Juan in Isleta de San Juan
Fuente Raíces (Roots Fountain) on Paseo de La Princesa in Old San Juan
Blue cobblestone streets of Old San Juan
References
[edit]- ↑ "San Juan Puerto Rico-La Isleta". www.puertadetierra.info. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ "Historia de Puerta de Tierra (San Juan)". www.puertadetierra.info. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ Morales, Dra Carmen Alicia (September 11, 2020). "Historia del Viejo San Juan: 12 de septiembre de 1519 – documento de descripción y plano de la isleta de San Juan". El Adoquín Times (in Spanish). Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ "Los primeros caminos y puentes de la Isla". Directorio Oficial de Puerto Rico. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ Marley, David (2005). Historic Cities of the Americas. Santa Barbara, CA. pp. 185+. ISBN 1576070271.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ↑ Morales, Dra Carmen Alicia (September 11, 2020). "Historia del Viejo San Juan: 12 de septiembre de 1519 – documento de descripción y plano de la isleta de San Juan". El Adoquín Times (in Spanish). Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ (in Spanish) San Juan: Historia Illustrada de su desarrollo urbano, 1508–1898 – Aníbal Sepúlveda Rivera. San Juan 1989. Centro de Investigaciones CARIMAR.
- ↑ boricuaonline (January 20, 2017). "Río Piedras, Puerto Rico – University City". BoricuaOnline.com. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ "Caño de San Antonio". wikimapia.org. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form" (PDF). agencias pr gov. Puerto Rico. Retrieved December 25, 2019.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Charming Colonial Streets of San Juan to Go Car Free". TreeHugger. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ↑ "Puente San Antonio (Puente Número 1)". www.puertadetierra.info. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ "ARRC – Puente Ferroviario San Antonio". Bridgehunter.com. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ "Puente del ferrocarril en San Juan Puerto Rico". www.puertadetierra.info. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ↑ "Cierran el acceso vehicular al Viejo San Juan para la SanSe". El Nuevo Dia (in Spanish). January 20, 2019. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ↑ Ríos, Melissa Cruz (December 1, 2019). "Para subir y bajar el Viejo San Juan". El Vocero de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
