Iglesia San Francisco de Asís

San Juan


Built in 1756 by Third Order Franciscans, this atmospheric old church is the perfect place to pause in a pew. Note the thickness of the original walls, the Renaissance-style architecture and the intricate altar mural painted by Juan Bautista García in 1949 and meticulously restored in 2007. Take the marble staircase to the crypt; several family members of artist Francisco Oller are buried here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby San Juan attractions

1. Museo del Mar

0.06 MILES

This small maritime museum is home to an impressive collection of model boats – from 15th-century galleons to modern-day cruise ships – as well as…

2. Plaza de Colón

0.11 MILES

Tracing its roots back more than a century to the 400-year anniversary of Columbus' first expedition, Plaza de Colón is dominated by its towering statue…

3. Castillo San Cristóbal

0.21 MILES

The city's second major fort is one of the largest Spanish-built military installations in the Americas. In its prime, it covered 27 acres with a maze of…

4. Alcaldía

0.21 MILES

Towering over the Plaza de Armas, the Alcaldía, which dates from 1789, has twin turrets resembling those of its counterpart in Madrid. This building…

5. Plaza de Armas

0.21 MILES

This is the city’s de-facto central square, laid out in the 16th century with the classic look of plazas from Madrid to Mexico. A highlight is the…

6. Paseo de la Princesa

0.22 MILES

Conjuring up a distinctly European feel, broad Paseo de la Princesa is a 19th-century esplanade just outside the city walls. Lined with antique…

7. Casa Ramón Power y Giralt

0.23 MILES

Once the residence of a political reformer and Puerto Rico’s first representative to the Spanish court, this 18th-century house is now the headquarters of…

8. Palacio de la Real Intendencia

0.24 MILES

The imposing Palacio de la Real Intendencia sits on the western edge of the Plaza de Armas. Built in the 19th century, this neoclassical beauty houses the…