San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico, the Caribbean island and U.S. territory.
Founded by Spanish colonists in 1521, San Juan is Puerto Rico’s largest city and its principal centre of government, commerce, culture, and tourism. The city occupies the northern coast of the island beside the Atlantic Ocean.
Old San Juan, the historic district on a small fortified islet, contains colorful colonial buildings, plazas, churches, and major defensive works. Spanish fortifications such as Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal reflect San Juan’s former strategic role at the entrance to the Caribbean.
San Juan is sometimes confused with Puerto Rico’s largest municipality by area or with Ponce, an important city on the southern coast. San Juan has been the island’s capital since the colonial period and remains the seat of Puerto Rico’s government.