What to do and see in San Juan, Puerto Rico: The Best Churches & Cathedrals

Maybe you won't notice the Santa Ana church at once, probably because it sits between two buildings, and it is shadowed by the art Deco-styled Banco Popular. However, this pink little church is one of the oldest and most intimate religious spaces in Old San Juan. Once you're inside, you'll notice how small this church is. Santa Ana is barely decorated, but its white walls and arches scintillate beautifully with the light reflected from the windowpanes above. Furthermore, the soft, rhythmical murmur of several prayers combined has the elating effect of making us feel connected to divinity. Dating back to the 17th Century, this church has two bell towers, and five niches on its facade for the statues of some of the apostles. According to historian Maria de los Angeles Castro, the Santa Ana church might have been decorated with paintings made by Jose Campeche, the most renowned Puerto Rican artist from the late 1700s. [1] Moreover, the Santa Ana church still offers the Latin rites. Justo detras de la sede al estilo art deco del Banco Popular, se encuentra la ermita de Santa Ana, una de las iglesias mas antiguas y sencillas del Viejo San Juan, edificada con toda probabilidad durante el siglo XVII. Su fachada rosada con pilastras blancas tiende a pasar desapercibida, puesto que se encuentra entre otros edificios de la calle Tetuan. No obstante, esta iglesia es uno de los lugares religiosos mas intimos del Viejo San Juan. Una vez adentro, veras que se trata de una iglesia diminuta--nada como la espaciosa catedral. No obstante, es perfecta para sentirse en proximidad con lo divino. La luz que inunda el transepto y se refleja en los muros blancos tiene el poder de provocar la sensacion de serenidad. A la vez, el ritmico murmullo de quienes rezan profundiza ese sosiego hasta convertirlo en una experiencia espiritual de gran introspeccion. Claro esta, uno de los efectos mas marcados que tiene esta iglesia sobre los que en ella se congregan es que la mente, en lugar de volcarse hacia el ruido del mundo exterior, se enfoca en aquello que llevamos dentro. Ademas, la iglesia Santa Ana aun ofrece misas en latin. [1] San Juan Oculto: La ciudad antigua desde otras miradas. Bayamon: Fundacion San Marin de Porres, 2013

Built in 1540 and the site where the body of Ponce de Leon is entombed, the the Catedral de San Juan is an authentic and rare New World example of medieval architecture.

The San Francisco Church is one of the most important religious structures in Old San Juan. This catholic church was built in 1876 by the monks of the Third Order of Saint Francis, but it has undergone several expansions and modifictions over the years. Nowadays, you can admire its brick and masonry structure, dating back to the Spanish colonial era. This church boasts one nave and a transept adorned by a colorful mural from the 1940s. Moreover, you can visit the church's crypt, where several monks and families with ties to the church have been buried. The San Francisco Church is open on a daily basis and offers Spanish mass from Tuesdays top Saturdays at 12:15 p.m., and on Sundays at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m, 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Visit the church, and don't forget to take a break from walking by sitting on the benches in Salvador Brau plaza in front of the church's entrance.

The Chapel of Christ the Savior (Cristo de la Salud) was built between 1753 and 1780. Legend has it that the Chapel of Christ the Savior was erected to honor a miracle. It is said that in the year 1750 the Cristo Street was host to a horse race where one of the participants could not stop his horse and fell off the cliff. The Secretary of Government at the time, Don Tomas Mateo Prats is said to have invoked the Santo Cristo de la Salud and that the young man who fell off the cliff was saved. And so, the Secretary of Government ordered the construction of the chapel on sight to honor the miracle. It was later revealed that in truth the young man died, but still, this chapel has a distinct spiritual feel to it. If you ever find yourself in Cristo Street, don't forget to visit this miracle sight!

In the middle of the modern Miramar survives the historic chapel Nuestra Senora De Lourdes. The building was designed by the architect Antonin Nechodama and it has a beautiful Victorian Gothic style. It is registered as a U.S. National Register of Historic Places and it gives Santurce a distinctive appeal.

Constructed in 1729 to be later converted to a church on November 20, 1773, it became the first church to be founded by afro-caribbeans. Design with a neoclassical style, the church has two towers of three levels at the entrance, complemented with a inclined staircase giving it a monumental feel to the small church. The structure counts with two lateral aisles, which are divided by six arches over aligned pillars.