by Sharon Harrison
If you ever go to Puerto Rico, you should definitely stop for a day or so in San Juan. It is the largest city on the island and is the capitol. It is over 500 years old. Walk the cobblestone streets of the city out toward Castillo San Felipe del Morro. Then, be sure to go see the beautiful cemetery that is down the hill from it, the Cementerio Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis. It is one of the most beautiful cemeteries I have ever seen!
The Castillo San Felipe del Morro is a beloved site of the people of Puerto Rico. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This fortress has stood there for over five centuries to protect the people of Puerto Rico and the New World, never once allowing a defeat by sea!
There is a large green area, where people fly kites and have picnics.
Enter these arches as one way into the fort.
Once you descend the steps into the fort, you can see how people lived all those years ago. You can see the areas guards must have stood watching the sea for any signs of danger.
From here, you can see that the outer walls are very thick and there are several floors and layers to the fort.
My friend and I are enjoying the blue skies looking back toward the fort.
This was a placard I found inside the fort by one of the rooms. It indicated that the room had been used as a prison.
When we exited the fort, we were very curious about the nearby cemetery. It is called the Cementerio Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis. It is a colonial-era cemetery that was started in 1863 where many prominent Puerto Rican residents have been buried. There are beautiful statues on many of the graves. Old and new are mixed together. Some have sadly fallen into disrepair, but it is still a wonderful, solemn place to visit.
This is a very crowded cemetery. There are also older grave stones in the actual wall of the cemetery.
My husband and I enjoyed learning more about San Juan, Puerto Rico. If you've never been, you should GO! Once you have seen the fort and the cemetery, walked the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan....venture out to some of the wonderful beaches around the island! We had a great time and you will too!!!
Learn more about Puerto Rico's history:
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