Built in 1854 as a military barracks, the cuartel is an impressive three-story edifice with large gates on two ends, a series of arches and a large central courtyard. It was the last building constructed by the Spaniards in the New World. Facilities once included officers’ quarters, warehouses, kitchens, dining rooms, prison cells and stables; today it's home to several administrative offices, a dance studio, a music school, several cafes and the first-rate Museo de las Américas.
![Museo de las Americas and plaza, San Juan](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2019-06/a597bacedd2c8c723728387c07a37b6a-cuartel-de-ballaja-museo-de-las-americas.jpg?w=1920&h=640&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cedges&auto=format&q=75)
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Cuartel de Ballajá
San Juan
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