This article lists the oldest extant buildings in Puerto Rico, including extant buildings and structures constructed prior to and during the United States rule over Puerto Rico since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898. Only buildings built prior to 1750 are suitable for inclusion on this list, or the building must be the oldest of its type.

In order to qualify for the list, a structure must:

be a recognizable building (defined as any human-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy); incorporate features of building work from the claimed date to at least in height and/or be a listed building.

This consciously excludes ruins of limited height, roads and statues. Bridges may be included if they otherwise fulfill the above criteria. Dates for many of the oldest structures have been arrived at by radiocarbon dating or dendrochronology and should be considered approximate. If the exact year of initial construction is estimated, it will be shown as a range of dates.

List of oldest buildings

BuildingImage Location First built UseNotes La Casa Blanca Old San Juan 1521 Military, residence Located in the Old San Juan National Historic Landmark District. Built as a fortified residence for Juan Ponce de León. The house has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898. San José Church Old San Juan 1532 Religious Located in the Old San Juan National Historic Landmark District. Oldest church building and oldest monastery in Puerto Rico. Additions and renovations over the centuries. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898. La Fortaleza Old San Juan 1533 Government, military Located in the Old San Juan National Historic Landmark District and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Oldest executive mansion in the New World. Extensive reconstructions took place over the centuries. Castillo San Felipe del Morro Old San Juan 1539 Military Part of the San Juan National Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built to defend the eastern entrance to the San Juan Bay and the Islet of San Juan. Construction started in 1539, with extensive additions over the centuries. Cathedral of San Juan Bautista Old San Juan 1540 Religious Located in the Old San Juan National Historic Landmark District. Oldest church building in the U.S. and its territories, original built in 1521 on modern-day location (extensive additions and renovations). The cathedral has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898. Basilica of the Virgin of Monserrat Hormigueros c. 1570 Religious Radiocarbon dating on the building foundations and the inner chapel dates to ca. 1570. The current church building was built during the second half of the 18th century.San Juan City HallOld San Juan1604-1789GovernmentOldest building used as a city hall in Puerto Rico, first built as the Cabildo de Puerto Rico. The main structure was built in stages between 1604 and 1789. The façade dates to 1840. Porta Coeli San Germán 1609 Religious The church has been on US territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898. Located in San Germán Historic District.Fortín San Juan de la CruzToa Baja1610-1660MilitaryPart of the San Juan National Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built between 1610 and 1660 at the site of a former small wooden fortification which defended the western entrance to the San Juan Bay and the original mouth of the Bayamón River.Castillo San CristóbalOld San Juan1634-1790MilitaryPart of the San Juan National Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Largest Spanish fortification to be built in the New World, constructed to provide simultaneous land and sea support to the eastern end of the San Juan City Wall. Monasterio del Señor San José de la Orden de Nuestra Señora del CarmenOld San Juan1646-1651ReligiousFormer nunnery and monastery founded in 1651, today a hotel known as Hotel El Convento. The current exterior dates to the second half of the 19th century. Iglesia San Blas de Illescas Coamo 1661 Religious Considered one of the most important works of religious architecture in Puerto Rico. The church has been on US territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.Hermitage Church of Nuestra Señora de Valvanera of CoamoCoamo1685ReligiousBrick masonry chapel from 1685. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898. with Iglesia San Germán de Auxerre San Germán 1688 Religious This parish church was built in 1688. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.Church Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y San Matías of ManatíManatí1729ReligiousOriginally in 1729 and underwent major repairs in 1864. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.Parroquia del Espiritu Santo y San PatricioLoíza1729ReligiousThis parish church was built in 1729. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes de San Miguel de Hato GrandeSan Lorenzo1737ReligiousAlso known as Las Mercedes Church, this Classical Revival style building was built in 1737. The church has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.Alejandro Tapia y Rivera TheaterOld San Juan1824TheaterOldest free-standing theater in San Juan and one of the oldest theaters in the Caribbean.La Princesa PrisonOld San Juan1837PrisonOldest purpose-built prison in Puerto Rico.Ponce City HallPonce1840GovernmentOldest purpose-built city hall in Puerto Rico and oldest surviving building Ponce.Discover Ponce's NeoClassical Buildings and Museums. Puertorico.com: Puerto Rico Channel. 2018. Accessed 28 March 2018.United States Customs House in PoncePonce1842GovernmentOldest U.S. customs house in Puerto Rico and the only one of its type under the U.S. flag. Possibly also the oldest purpose-built post office in Puerto Rico.U.S. Custom House listing at NRHP Retrieved 21 November 2009. Casa de los Ponce de León San Germán 1842 Residence Allegedly the oldest continuously occupied home in Puerto Rico; home to Ponce De Leon family. Located in San Germán Historic District. The house has been on U.S. territory since Puerto Rico was annexed in 1898.Port San Juan LightOld San Juan1846LighthouseOldest lighthouse structure in Puerto Rico. Built onto El Morro, which is part the San Juan National Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Central San VicenteVega Baja1873RefineryFirst sugarcane refinery to be built in Puerto Rico. Although most of the building is in ruins, its chimney and central brick structure and steam engines still remain.Iglesia de la Santísima TrinidadPonce1873ReligiousOldest non-Roman Catholic religious building and oldest Anglican and Protestant church building in Puerto Rico. Holy Trinity was still the only Protestant church in Puerto Rico at the time of the United States invasion in 1898. The current structure dates to 1926 and it preserves some of its former features such as its 1870 bell cast.Explore Puerto Rico, by Harry S. Pariser. San Francisco: Manatee Press, p. 244, Retrieved 30 November 2009Cape San Juan LightFajardo1880LighthouseOldest free-standing lighthouse building in Puerto Rico. It played a major role in the Battle of Fajardo during the Puerto Rican Campaign of the Spanish–American War in 1898.Logia Masónica Hijos de la LuzYauco1894Meeting hallPossibly the oldest built and certainly the oldest surviving purpose-built Masonic building in Puerto Rico. With Yagüez TheaterMayagüez1909TheaterOldest surviving purpose-built movie theater in Puerto Rico.Jose V. Toledo Federal Building and United States CourthouseOld San Juan1914GovernmentOldest U.S.-built post office, courthouse and federal building in Puerto Rico.Ponce High SchoolPonce1915EducationOldest purpose-built public school and high school building in Puerto Rico.Maruja Candal Salazar and Neysa Rodriguez Deynes. Museo de la Historia de Ponce. Sala de Educacion. 30 December 2016.Condado Vanderbilt HotelSanturce1919HotelFirst purpose-built luxury hotel and hotel casino in Puerto Rico.Museum of History, Anthropology and Art of the University of Puerto RicoRío Piedras1951MuseumOldest purpose-built museum building in Puerto Rico.

See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Puerto Rico History of Puerto Rico Oldest buildings in the United States

References

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