MUST SEE: La Fortaleza & San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
MUST SEE: La Fortaleza &
San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site are significant landmarks in San Juan, Puerto Rico, showcasing the island's rich history and colonial heritage.ย La Fortaleza & San Juan National Historic Site serve as a reminder of Puerto Ricoโs role as one of the earliest and last bastions of Spanish dominance in the Americas.ย Visiting this MUST SEE UNESCO site by boat is best from San Juan Bay.
San Juan Bay is a significant harbor and anchorage point on the north side of Puerto Rico,, known for its deep waters and natural protection. It serves as a popular spot for both commercial and recreational vessels. The bay is surrounded by historic sites, such as La Fortaleza, El Morro and San Cristรณbal forts, and offers beautiful views of the city and surrounding areas.
La Fortaleza
La Fortaleza, also known as the Governor's Palace, is the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas. Built between 1533 and 1540 by order of the Spanish king, Charles V, it served as a fortress to protect the city from pirates and corsairs.ย In 1846, La Fortaleza was remodeled to become the official residence of the governor. The remodeling was designed by the Spanish architect Fernando Trueba, and the building was given a neoclassical style.
La Fortaleza has been the official residence of 170 governors of Puerto Rico and now stands as the oldest executive residence in the Western Hemisphere. It is a historical and cultural landmark of great importance to the island. In 1983, it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO as part of the โLa Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Siteโ.
San Juan National Historic Site
This historic site encompasses several key components, including the forts of El Morro and San Cristรณbal, which were built to defend the city from maritime attacks.
- Fortifications:
- Castillo San Felipe del Morro: A 16th-century fortress that offers stunning views of the ocean and the city. It played a crucial role in the defense of San Juan.
- Castillo San Cristรณbal: Built in the 18th century, this fortification was designed to protect against land attacks and is the largest fort built by the Spanish in the Americas.
Both La Fortaleza and the San Juan National Historic Site reflect the historical significance of Puerto Rico in the context of Spanish colonial rule and military strategy in the Caribbean. They are vital for understanding the island's past and its cultural heritage.
SEWING ON BOATS
SEWING ON BOATS:
PHIFERTEX BRINGS ON THE SHADE &
TAKES DOWN THE TEMPERATURE
By Nicole Smith on SV MAISON DE SANTร
Phifertex is a very effective for use on the inside of your boat and the outside. We have large dual pane glass windows in our salon which are great for seeing outside while cooking/eating/hanging out inside but they get hot and radiate lots of heat inside the boat.ย I did not want to have to install snaps on the outside of our boat for Phifertex shades but wanted the UV protection, shade, and cooling effects.ย So, I made individual shades for each of our 9 windows and they are great! Itโs hard to see in the pictures but with the shade itโs 82 degrees with the heat gun. Without the shade it shows 135 degrees! Of course there is some variance in degrees depending on where you point the gun on the window but wow, do these help (for reference itโs 9am with sun beaming on these windows).ย I used Velcro at the corners to keep in place and for some of the shades used coated flexible garden wire sewn inside the outside trim so it keeps it shape and doesnโt droop down. An added bonus is that they provide decent shade like a curtain but we can still enjoy our views. I hope others might find this useful 
Itโs a hot sunny morning in Panama 
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SY MAISON DE SANTร ๐บ๐ธ Nicole & Keenan - ย Cal 46'
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR RECENT UPGRADE THAT KEEPS YOUR BOAT COOLER IN HOT PLACES!
