Talking Buildings of Old San Juan

(161 reviews)

San Juan audio tour: Talking Buildings of Old San Juan

This is a 2.3mi walking tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

San Juan

Puerto Rico

$7.99

Access all 36 locations offline with the VoiceMap app

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About the Tour

Talking Buildings is a first-person account of the historic buildings of Old San Juan. Created by the Saint John's School 6th grade Social Studies class of 2022, this audio walking tour will take you on a journey through time, from the 16th century to modern day.

If you'd like to donate to the San José Church, as mentioned in the route, please follow this link: iglesiasanjosepr.org

Tour Producer

Gabriella Garces

1 tour

I'm a 6th grade Social Studies teacher who aspires to break my students out of their four walls and into the community. The idea is to have fun, and learn a thing or two along the way.

Preview Location

Location 1

Castillo de San Cristóbal

Castillo de San Cristobal: Hola, welcome to your first stop! You should be standing at the entrance to the parking lot in front of me. Stay here for a while. Before I tell you my tale, let me introduce you to Gabriella, who will be taking you around the city today.

Gabriell... Castillo de San Cristobal: Hola, welcome to your first stop! You should be standing at the entrance to the parking lot in front of me. Stay here for a while. Before I tell you my tale, let me introduce you to Gabriella, who will be taking you around the city today.

Gabriella: Welcome to this tour. Today, you'll experience San Juan through the eyes of its historic buildings. I'll give you directions to keep you on track, and then I'll stop you to listen to the stories along the way. So, let's start.

Castillo de San Cristobal: My name is Castillo de San Cristobal, and I am often known as one of the oldest buildings in Old San Juan. I was built in 1644 by the Spanish. People know me for being one of the biggest forts in Spanish history. I stretch across 27 acres of land and was built to protect the city from a land attack.

There are two ways to enter my fortress. The main entrance is on Muñoz Rivera Avenue and a second entrance is on Norzagaray Street. At the Muñoz Rivera Avenue entrance you have the option to watch a short film that covers my construction and history. The film runs constantly during the day and is shown in English and Spanish. If you prefer, you can just head into the fort and use the map to find your way around. But don't go yet!

I have many features such as prisons, cannons, guns, tunnels, and dungeons. My tunnels are long, interesting and dark, and they were used to move men, supplies, and cannons during battles. Along the walls of the tunnels you will see grooves; these were once loaded with gun powder. If I was attacked, the soldiers could blow up the tunnels to block the enemies from coming in. In the dungeon, make sure you look for the soldiers' drawings on the walls. If you happen to go with a guide, ask them to turn off the lights so you can see that the only light these prisoners had was through a tiny window slit. Within my walls, you can also see a display of the uniforms the soldiers had to wear. The uniforms were made out of wool and cotton. They were layered and included coats and tights!

In 1797, the British came to attack me under the command of Sir Ralph Abercrombe, but they didn't last long. They stopped before they even arrived to my doors.

In 1855, I was held by rebels for 24 hours, causing panic among the people when the cannons were turned around to face the city.

During the Spanish American War in 1898, I saw some real action! US Navy warships came to attack me, but I was older and my cannons weren't strong enough to fight back. The Spanish surrendered within 24 hours of the attack. Six months later, I belonged to the United States, as property of a US territory.

Fast forward to 1939, when World War II had started. During World War II, the US Army used me as a military base and constructed concrete medical centers and an underground bunker control center. The US armed forces left me in 1961. Today, I am part of the US National Park Service, and I am declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. People like you come and visit me every day and learn about my history.

Gabriella: If you want to have a look around, let me tell you where to go when you're done. Otherwise, you can move on now. Turn so that the castle is on your right, and start walking down the road. I'll meet you at the intersection ahead.

VoiceMap uses GPS to pinpoint your location and trigger the relevant audio. This means you can put your phone away now and relax. My friends and I will tell you where to go. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Castillo San Cristóbal
El Morro
La Fortaleza

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
501 Calle Norzagaray, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico
Total distance

4km
Final location
501 Calle Norzagaray, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico
Distance back to start location

1km

Directions to Starting Point

Begin at Castillo de San Cristobal. There are two entrances; start at the bottom entrance near Plaza Colon.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Trapiche Gelato - gelato, ice-cream, dessert. Hand-made by locals.
Luca - boutique
Palmas - restaurant (typical Puerto Rican food)

Best time of day

The morning hours are cooler, and make for a more pleasurable walk. Avoid walking at midday, as the sun and heat are very strong.

Precautions

Old San Juan is very safe. We recommend staying hydrated during your walk.

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App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”