El Arsenal

San Juan


On the point called La Puntilla, this low fortress is a former Spanish naval station, and the last place to house Spanish forces after the US victory in the Spanish-American War. Today it is home to the fine- and decorative-arts divisions of the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, and hosts periodic exhibitions in three galleries.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby San Juan attractions

1. Paseo de la Princesa

0.14 MILES

Conjuring up a distinctly European feel, broad Paseo de la Princesa is a 19th-century esplanade just outside the city walls. Lined with antique…

2. La Princesa

0.17 MILES

Built against the outside wall of the city, this long, gray and white building, once a jail, now houses the headquarters of the Puerto Rico Tourism…

3. Casa Ramón Power y Giralt

0.18 MILES

Once the residence of a political reformer and Puerto Rico’s first representative to the Spanish court, this 18th-century house is now the headquarters of…

4. Fuente Raíces

0.2 MILES

At the waterfront end of Paseo de la Princesa, this fountain was built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Spain's 'discovery' of the New World. The…

5. Parque de las Palomas

0.2 MILES

On the southern end of Calle del Cristo, the pigeon-filled Parque de las Palomas is in a tree-shaded cobblestone courtyard on the top of the city wall,…

6. La Casa del Libro

0.2 MILES

Bibliophiles will enjoy this tiny but worthwhile collection of more than 5000 manuscripts and texts that date back 2000 years. The collection includes one…

7. Capilla del Cristo

0.21 MILES

Since 1780, tens of thousands of penitents have come to pray for miracles at the Capilla del Cristo, the tiny sanctuary at the end of a pedestrian street…

8. Palacio Rojo

0.23 MILES

A two-story Baroque building dating from 1792, Palacio Rojo once served as the living quarters for Spanish commanding officers. Today it houses…