Every single state and nearly every inhabited territory in the United States, ranging from North to South and East to West, is home to at least one National Park Site. They might not be full blown National Parks, but they are under National Park Service jurisdiction for some purpose of protection, preservation, or education. That includes Puerto Rico, home to just one single site.
The San Juan National Historic Site covers Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San Cristóbal, most of the city walls, the San Juan Gate and Fort San Juan de la Cruz just across the entrance to the bay. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Puerto Rico, attracting 1.3 million visitors in 2024.
The buildings protected in this site are the oldest European constructed fortifications in the entire U.S. territory, dating back to 1539. They were designed to protect San Juan, a significant city for Spain in the Americas. These fortifications were transferred to the National Park Service in 1949, allowing the buildings to be protected and preserved from further decay.
