Three Historic Tales from Old San Juan

Source: By Zain Deane, About.com Guide

The old capital of Puerto Rico is a walled city almost five centuries of history. It’s the kind of place where you can discover secrets and legends at almost every corner, where even the blue-tinged cobblestone has a tale to share. On every trip to the my favorite destination in Puerto Rico, I learn something new, and I remember why Old San Jan is such a special place.In truth, there are much folklore surrounding the old city. In fact, two of the island’s most well-known legends¹ come from within these walls. But the history of La Capilla del Cristo (“Cristo Chapel”) and La Rogativa (“The Procession”) are well-known to locals and tourists alike.

Here, on the other hand, are three more obscure and perhaps more incredible stories and historic tales from the walled city.

1. The soldier in the dungeon – ²Photo © Zain Deane

The imposing fortress of Castillo San Cristóbal³has two entrances: the main one off Norzagaray Street leading up a broad ramp into the courtyard, and a smaller entrance at the foot of the fort that takes you through the tunnel below the courtyard. Next time you visit, take this latter approach and walk into the tunnel. This passageway served several purposes. During battle, it was used to transfer ammunition from storage to the surface by means of levers; it could also have been used to trap invading forces; and finally, it was also the way to the dungeons.Imagine, for a second, a dungeon in the 17th century. No electricity, no air conditioning, the only light and breeze coming through a tiny window. The dungeon was little more than a hollowed out cave, and many prisoners went mad in its black depths.

While the dungeons were meant for prisoners of war, it also housed the occasional local lawbreaker. One of these was a captain was was imprisoned here for years. How he survived is a mystery, but he left a lasting legacy: drawings of ships, done with quite an artistic touch, given the circumstances, that survive to this day and are protected by a sheet of glass. The unnamed officer even painted the colors of the flags on the ships, identifying friend from foe.

The crude drawings are a special reason to make the trip to the dungeon, and witness a tale of survival against all odds (apparently he eventually did make it out of that cell, but the rest of his story is lost, as far as I know).

2. The spies’ drawings – ⁴Photo © Zain Deane

As impressive as Castillo San Felipe del Morro⁵ and Castillo San Cristóbal are, they have one thing in common: neither is the oldest fortified building in San Juan. That honor goes to La Casa Blanca⁶, one of the oldest buildings in Puerto Rico and the original home of the Ponce de León family. Today, the elegant house, considered truly opulent in its day, is a lovely museum tucked away at the end of San Sebastián Street.

Home to many original and recreated artifacts from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, the museum is an interesting look at life over the course of San Juan’s evolution. But there are two items here that fascinated me more than any other: ask the docent (there’s an excellent staff here) to show you two drawings of Porto Rico made during the 16th century. These were actually made by Dutch spies who were making rudimentary maps to help plan attacks on the island.

3. The last moment of Spanish rule

La Fortaleza⁷, or “The Fortress,” is just that: an early fortification that was transformed and remodeled (and painted a lovely pastel blue, not the most aggressive of colors) into the governor’s official residence. In fact, this elegant landmark is the oldest governor’s mansion in the western hemisphere.

A tour of La Fortaleza is a trip through time and a chance to see one of the most sophisticated and opulent residences in Puerto Rico. But there is one piece of furniture in the mansion that has a symbolic importance that far outstrips its beauty. An old grandfather clock stands here, broken, its hands unmoving. It has been left like this on purpose, because this clock actually marks the very last second of Spanish rule in the new world. Following Spain’s defeat at the Spanish-American War in 1898, the last Spanish governor of Puerto Rico paused in front of this clock and struck its face with his sword on his way out of the mansion, and on his country’s way out of the Americas.

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