Cathedral of San Juan Bautista Historical Facts and Pictures

The Cathedral of San Juan Bautista is the second oldest cathedral in America, after the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor. A Roman Catholic Cathedral, it is one of the oldest buildings in San Juan, located in Old San Juan.

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista Pictures

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista

Exterior Architecture

The original cathedral was made out of wood with a thatched roof in the year 1521 but was destroyed by a hurricane. The present construction built in 1540 has gothic ceilings and an aesthetic circular staircase. Most of the architectural work was done in the 19^th century and in 1917 it was reshaped for the last time.

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista Images

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista Photos

Interior structure of the cathedral

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista Inside

Inside of Cathedral of San Juan Bautista

The tomb of Ponce de León

Located at the left side of the church is the white marble tomb of the Spanish explorer and the first governor of Puerto Rico Juan Ponce de Leon.

Ponce de Leon Tomb

Tomb of Ponce de Leon

Relics of Rodríguez Santiago

The sacred shrine at the cathedral is of the Roman Catholic Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Santiago. He was the first Caribbean born layperson, the first Puerto Rican as well as the first layperson to be beatified in the history of the United States.

Relics of Rodriguez Santiago Inside the Cathedral

Interior of Cathedral of San Juan Bautista

Virgen de la Providencia (Virgin of Providence)

Since it’s a Roman Catholic Church, the altar of Virgin Mary is embellished with the best fineries of architecture.

This Cathedral is a unique and authentic example of medieval architecture in the new world era.

Virgen de la Providencia Inside the Cathedral