The historical heart of the city, referred to as Old San Juan, lies on a small island connected to the mainland by bridges and a causeway. It is characterized by narrow, crooked streets and a number of buildings dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. The oldest part remains partly enclosed by massive walls and contains several notable forts, such as El Morro (begun 1539) and San Cristóbal (17th century), both part of San Juan National Historic Site, and La Fortaleza (begun 1533), which now serves as the governor's mansion. Also on the island is the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista (begun 1520s), a Gothic structure that contains the tomb of the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León.
On the mainland just east of Old San Juan is the section known as Condado Beach. High-rise luxury hotels and condominiums prevail in this area, which is the main focus of tourist activity in the city. To the south are two separate business districts, Santurce and Hato Rey, both encompassing tall office buildings. Farther south is the residential area of Río Piedras, which contains the main campus of the University of Puerto Rico, founded in 1903. Also in the San Juan area are the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico (1912), the Sacred Heart University (1976), the Museum of Puerto Rican Art, and the Ponce de León Museum.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. San Juan Information info
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