The historic lighthouse ruins at Punta Borinquen.
Puerto Rico's vibrancy derives from more than 500 years of rich history and the subsequent blending of different cultures.
This fusion extends to almost every aspect of the Island's identity. From the interweaving of the Taíno, African, and Spanish traditions emerged the Puerto Rican, a new identity composed of traits from all three groups. You’ll get to explore Spanish colonial architecture and prominent centuries-old buildings, savory dishes and dance moves rooted in African heritage, and lingo that locals still use from the Taínos. Puerto Rico's identity is the very definition of a well-blended melting pot.
The Island's cultural identity is something you'll experience in every sight, taste, and sound during your stay. Read on to learn more about the history of Puerto Rico.
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Parque Ceremonial Indígena de Caguana, an important Taíno ceremony site.
Puerto Rico’s first inhabitants were the Taínos, a group of indigenous people who lived on the island for hundreds of years before the Spanish arrival. Organized in small clans and villages led by caciques (chiefs), they survived by fishing, hunting, and basic agriculture. The Taínos were governed by Agüeybaná and called the island Borikén (Borinquen) – which means “Land of the Valiant and Noble Lord.”
The arrival of the Spaniards in 1493 marked the beginning of the Taíno extinction. Already at war with the Caribs, another indigenous group migrating to the Antilles, the Taínos began to lose territory, and under Spanish rule, the original Boricuas ceased to exist.
Explore the Taína Route and Indigenous Culture in Puerto Rico
Garitas, or sentry boxes, line the forts of Old San Juan.
Christopher Columbus arrived in Puerto Rico in 1493 during his second voyage to the New World. Initially, Columbus christened the Island San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist). The name was soon changed to Puerto Rico, or “rich port,” when the Spaniards realized the impressive amount of gold found in its rivers. When the capital city was established, it took the name of San Juan.
Under Spanish governance, the Island developed an even more sophisticated agriculture system than what the Taínos had founded. Sugar cane, coffee, and tobacco were among the Island’s major exports. Due to the increasing demand for products and the decreasing number of local inhabitants to work the land, Spain brought African slaves to Puerto Rico.
Given its location and richness, Puerto Rico became an important military outpost for Spain and was attacked by the Dutch, French, and English in a series of failed attempts to conquer the Island. Forts and castles like El Morro and San Cristóbal were originally built to protect the strategically significant Island. The impressive citadels were never defeated, and you can still visit them today.
El Morro fort in Old San Juan.
Casa Blanca Museum in Old San Juan.
Castillo Serrallés: former home of the Serrallés family, owners of the Don Q distillery.
Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Park in Utuado.
The courtyard of the Museo de las Américas in the Cuartel de Ballajá.
Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Baptist, or La Catedral.
The historic Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in Old San Juan.
In the late 1800s, the desire for independence from the Spanish crown boiled over in Puerto Rico. While the Spanish soldiers quickly suppressed the rebellion in San Juan, outbursts and uprisings erupted throughout the Island, which led the Spanish crown to grant autonomy to the government on the Island. This change opened trade channels with other European colonies and the United States.
Puerto Rican pride is on full display in Old San Juan.
The autonomous government granted by Spain didn’t last long. After the Spanish-American War ended in 1898, Puerto Rico and Guam were ceded to the United States as part of the terms of the Treaty of Paris, and Puerto Rico maintains its provincial status to this day.
With Puerto Rico’s colonial state came several changes – mainly in currency, government, and education – with civil rights and political status being decided by U.S Congress, a power it still holds over a century later.
During the first three decades of its rule over Puerto Rico, the U.S. Congress approved a new Puerto Rican Constitution that made the Island an autonomous U.S. commonwealth while the islanders retained full American citizenship.
Even after becoming a U.S. territory, Puerto Ricans take pride in preserving much of the Island’s indigenous traditions. Many of them can be appreciated in visits to the National Historic Site in San Juan, where you’ll learn more about the history of the discovery of the Island; the Cruceta del Vigía, a giant cross built-in 1983 to recall the checkpoint that sat at the top of a hill in the town of Ponce and was used as a watch post by the Spaniards in 1801; and the Cabo Rojo lighthouse, a beautiful 1882 structure on the southwest of Puerto Rico that overlooks the whole nature reserve.
These are just a few of the many historical sites you’ll discover while traveling around the Island.
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