View source for La Fortaleza

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Short description|Official residence and office of the governor of Puerto Rico}}
{{About||the album by Francisca Valenzuela|La Fortaleza (album)|the 2020 film|La Fortaleza (film)|the Club Atlético Lanús stadium|Estadio Ciudad de Lanús – Néstor Díaz Pérez}}
{{Infobox historic building
| name             = La Fortaleza
| native_name      = ''Palacio de Santa Catalina''
| image            = {{multiple image
| border      = infobox
| total_width = 300
| image_style = border:1;
| perrow      = 1/2/2/2
| image2   = Fortaleza in Old San Juan (cropped).jpg
| image1  = La Fortaleza 2018.jpg
| image3  = La Fortaleza Street.JPG
| image4  = Gardens La Fortaleza (cropped).jpg
| image5 = San Juan City Wall 6.jpg
| image6 = LA FORTALEZA.jpg
| image7 = La Fortaleza in San Juan Puerto Rico.jpg
}}
| image_alt        = 
| caption          = '''From top, left to right''': Wide view of front façade (east) of La Fortaleza; close-up view of front façade (east); close-up view of ''Calle de la Fortaleza'' (Fortaleza Street); close-up view of  ''Jardín Hundio'' ("sunken garden") next to side façade (north); wide view of side façade (north) above ''Puerta de San Juan'' (San Juan Gate); wide view of rear façade (west) from [[San Juan Bay]]; and aerial view of La Fortaleza within the [[Walls of Old San Juan]] and above [[Paseo de la Princesa]] in [[Old San Juan]]
| former_names     = 
| alternate_names  = 
| map_type         = 
| map_alt          = 
| map_caption      = 
| building_type    = [[Medieval fortification]], [[Castle]], [[Palace]], [[Mansion]]
| architectural_style = [[Fortification]], [[Spanish Renaissance architecture|Spanish Renaissance]], [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]]
| structural_system = 
| cost             = 
| location         = [[Old San Juan]], [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]]
| address          = 63 Calle Fortaleza, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901
| client           = 
| owner            = 
| current_tenants  = 
| landlord         = 
| coordinates      = {{Coord|18|27|51|N|66|7|9|W|display=inline,title}}
| mapframe         = yes
| mapframe-marker  = castle
| mapframe-zoom    = 13
| mapframe-caption = Interactive
| altitude         = 
| start_date       = 1533
| completion_date  = 1540
| inauguration_date = 
| demolition_date  = 
| height           = 
| diameter         = 
| known_for        = [[Battle of San Juan (1595)]] [[Battle of San Juan (1598)]] [[Battle of San Juan (1625)]] [[Battle of San Juan (1797)]] [[Bombardment of San Juan|Bombardment of San Juan (1898)]]
| other_dimensions = 
| floor_count      = 
| floor_area       = 
| main_contractor  = 
| architect        = 
| structural_engineer = 
| services_engineer = 
| civil_engineer   = 
| other_designers  = 
| quantity_surveyor = 
| awards           = 
| embedded         = {{designation list | embed=yes
  | designation1 = WHS
  | designation1_partof = [[La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico]]
  | designation1_date = 1983 <small>(7th [[World Heritage Committee|session]])</small>
  | designation1_type = Cultural
  | designation1_criteria = vi
  | designation1_number = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/266 266]
  | designation1_free1name = Region
  | designation1_free1value = [[List of World Heritage Sites in North America|The Americas]]
  | designation2 = NHL
  | designation2_offname = La Fortaleza
  | designation2_date = October 9, 1960<ref name="lfnhl">{{cite web |url=https://npshistory.com/publications/nhl/national-historic-landmarks-1976.pdf |title=National Historic Landmarks: A Preservation Program of the National Park Service |language=en |last= |first= |website=[[National Park Service]] |publisher=Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation |location=Washington, D.C. |page=119 |date=1976 |access-date=September 23, 2024}}</ref>
  | designation3 = NRHP
  | designation3_offname = La Fortaleza
  | designation3_number = 66000951<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2013a|dateform=|access-date=September 23, 2024|refnum=66000951|name=La Fortaleza}}</ref>
  | designation3_date = October 15, 1966
}}
| website          = {{URL|www.fortaleza.pr.gov}}
| references       = 
}}

'''La Fortaleza''' ([[English language|English]]: "the fortress"), officially the '''''Palacio de Santa Catalina'''<ref name="Wikisource 2019">{{cite web |last=Rivero Méndez |first=Ángel |date=September 2, 2019 |title=Crónica de la guerra hispano-americana en Puerto Rico |url=https://es.wikisource.org/wiki/P%C3%A1gina:Cr%C3%B3nica_de_la_guerra_hispano-americana_en_Puerto_Rico.djvu/47 |access-date=September 2, 2019 |website=Wikisource |page=23 |language=es}}</ref>'' ("Saint Catherine's Palace"), is the [[official residence]] and workplace of the [[Governor of Puerto Rico|governor]] of [[Puerto Rico]]. Located in the [[Historic district|historic quarter]] of [[Old San Juan]] in the capital [[Municipalities of Puerto Rico|municipality]] of [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]], it has served as the governor’s residence since the 16th century, making it the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the [[New World]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=La Fortaleza {{!}} Oficina del Gobernador |url=https://www.fortaleza.pr.gov/ |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=www.fortaleza.pr.gov |language=es}}</ref> Built as a [[Medieval fortification|medieval fortress]] from 1533 to 1540 by orders of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|King Charles I of Spain]], and remodeled to its present [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]] style in 1846 by orders of [[List of governors of Puerto Rico#List of governors of Puerto Rico|Governor]] [[:es:Rafael Arístegui y Vélez |Rafael Arístegui y Vélez]], it was the first fortification erected by the [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]] on [[San Juan Islet]] to defend [[San Juan Bay]], the harbor of Old San Juan. Alongside [[Castillo San Felipe del Morro|El Morro]], [[Castillo San Cristóbal (San Juan)|San Cristóbal]], and other forts part of the [[Walls of Old San Juan]], it protected [[Geography of Puerto Rico#Strategic geography|strategically and militarily]] important [[Puerto Rico]], or ''La Llave de las Indias'' (The Key to the [[Council of the Indies|Indies]]),<ref> {{cite web | title=Justificación para una historia militar de Puerto Rico| website=Academia Puertorriqueña de la Historia| date=April 4, 2023 | url=https://academiaprhistoria.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/1990-07-01-02.pdf | language=Spanish | pages=250–51| access-date=January 19, 2024}}</ref> from invasion by competing [[List of modern great powers#Early modern great powers|world powers]] and harassment by [[privateers]] and [[Golden Age of Piracy|pirates]] during the [[Age of Discovery]] and [[Age of Sail|Sail]].<ref name="Fort">{{cite web |title= LA FORTALEZA, OFICINA DEL GOBERNADOR |url=https://www.fortaleza.pr.gov/#:~:text=Desde%20el%20siglo%20XVI%2C%20La,uso%20continuo%20en%20las%20Am%C3%A9ricas. |access-date=January 25, 2024 |website=fortaleza.pr.gov |language=es}}</ref> It was [[La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico|designated]] a [[World Heritage Site]] in 1983.<ref name="UNESCO">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/266/ |title=La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico |last= |first= |series=[[World Heritage Sites]] |publisher=[[UNESCO]] |location=Paris |date=1983 |ID=#266 |access-date=September 23, 2024| language=en}}</ref>

Situated in the western end of [[San Juan Islet]] in the [[Old San Juan]] historic quarter, La Fortaleza, seat of the [[Executive branch of the government of Puerto Rico|executive branch]], is about {{convert|1|mi|km||lk=on|abbr=out}} from the [[Capitol of Puerto Rico]], seat of the [[Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|legislative branch]], in the center of the Islet in the [[Puerta de Tierra, San Juan|Puerta de Tierra]] historic district, and {{convert|2|mi|km||lk=on|abbr=out}} from the [[Supreme Court Building (Puerto Rico)|Supreme Court Building]], seat of the [[Judiciary of Puerto Rico|judicial branch]], in the eastern end of the Islet in Puerta de Tierra. 

[[File:La Fortaleza Puerto Rico Logo.jpg|thumb|Logo of La Fortaleza]]

==Structure==
[[File:AMH-6724-KB View of Puerto Rico.jpg|left|thumb|200px|upright|Rear façade (west) of La Fortaleza from [[San Juan Bay]] as depicted in the 1671 edition of [[John Ogilby]]'s ''America'', one of the most influential works of the 17th century]]

La Fortaleza was the first defensive fortification built in the historic city of Old San Juan, originally known as ''Ciudad de Puerto Rico'' (''rich port city''), and the first of a series of military structures built to protect the city, which included the [[Castillo San Felipe del Morro|San Felipe del Morro Fortress]] and the [[Castillo San Cristóbal (San Juan)|San Cristóbal Fortress]]. The construction was authorized by [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]] as a defense against attacks from [[Island Caribs]] and the European powers of the time.

Initially, the structure consisted of four walls enclosing an interior [[patio]] with a circular tower known as the ''Homage Tower''. From the top of the tower, following military tradition, the governor would take fidelity oaths at critical moments to the King and Queen of Spain. Later, a second tower named the ''Austral Tower'' was constructed.

During the 1640 reconstruction, a chapel named after [[Catherine of Alexandria|Santa Catalina Alejandría]] originally standing outside the fortification's walls was integrated into the structure's walls, resulting in the alternate name of ''Palacio de Santa Catalina'' (''Saint Catherine's Palace'')''.''

The complex currently consists of a few attached buildings with formal living quarters on the second floor and private quarters on the third. It overlooks the high city walls that front the [[San Juan Bay|bay]], and within the north perimeter of the house are sheltered gardens and a swimming pool. The exterior of the palace has featured white, light blue, and light gray paint.

==History==
[[File:Fortaleza---1899.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Side façade (north) of ''La Fortaleza'' in 1899]]

Starting in 1529, [[List of governors of Puerto Rico|Governor La Gama]] petitioned the emperor on the need to build defensive fortifications "because the island's defenseless condition caused the people to emigrate."  Construction started in 1533, using stone, and concluded by 1540.  Yet the fort had no guns, and [[Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés]] commented, "if it had been constructed by blind men could not have been located in a worse location."  Yet the structure has served as the governor's residence since 1544.<ref name="RA">{{cite book |last1=Van Middeldyk |first1=R.A. |editor1-last=Brumbaugh |editor1-first=Martin |title=The History of Puerto Rico: From the Spanish Discovery to the American Occupation |date=1903 |publisher=D. Appleton and Company |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historypuertori01middgoog/page/n143 109]-110 |url=https://archive.org/details/historypuertori01middgoog |access-date=March 6, 2019}}</ref><ref name="NPS">{{cite book |title=The Forts of Old San Juan |date=2018 |publisher=Division of Publications, National Park Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=9780912627625 |pages=24–27}}</ref>

Since the 16th century, ''La Fortaleza'' has acted as the residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico, making it the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object.cfm?key=35&objkey=5034|title=Collections|website=National Museum of American History|access-date=April 13, 2018}}</ref> The mansion was remodeled in 1846 by the Spanish authorities to adapt its military origin to its new purely administrative function.

''La Fortaleza'' has been captured three times by foreign powers:
* 1598, [[George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland|George Clifford]], [[Earl of Cumberland]], attacked San Juan.
* In 1625, General [[Boudewijn Hendricksz]] (Balduino Enrico) of the Netherlands invaded the city and established himself at ''La Fortaleza''. During the Dutch retreat, the fortress and the city were set ablaze.
* 1898, the U.S. Navy invaded and occupied Puerto Rico, establishing a provisional government.

In 1834, Colonel [[George Dawson Flinter]] described the fortress of Santa Catalina as having a chapel, stables, cistern, and an east wing with spacious apartments.<ref name="Flinter 2016">{{cite web | last=Flinter | first=George Dawson | title=An Account of the Present State of the Island of Puerto Rico  | website=Internet Archive | date=October 23, 2016 | url=https://archive.org/details/anaccountpresen00flingoog | access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref>

According to tradition, in 1898, just before the United States [[History of Puerto Rico#Invasion of 1898|invaded]] Puerto Rico during the [[Spanish–American War]], the last Spanish governor of the island, [[Ricardo de Ortega y Diez|Ricardo De Ortega]], struck a [[longcase clock]] in ''La Fortaleza'' with his sword, stopping the clock and marking the time at which Spain lost control over Puerto Rico.

[[File:Puerto Rico La Fortaleza 3c 1937 issue.JPG|thumb|Side façade (north) of ''La Fortaleza'' on a U.S. stamp in 1937]]

On October 30, 1950, there was an attempt by a few nationalists to enter ''La Fortaleza'' in what is known as the [[San Juan Nationalist revolt]], intending to attack then-governor [[Luis Muñoz Marín]]. The 5-minute shootout resulted in four Nationalists dead: Domingo Hiraldo Resto, Carlos Hiraldo Resto, Manuel Torres Medina, and Raímundo Díaz Pacheco. Three of the guards of the building, among them Lorenzo Ramos, were seriously injured.

On October 9, 1960, ''La Fortaleza'' was designated a United States [[National Historic Landmark]].<ref name=lfnhl/><ref name="nrhpinv3">{{cite web|url={{NHLS url|id=66000951}} |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: La Fortaleza |date=August 1981 |first=Cecil N. |last=McKithan |publisher=National Park Service| website=National Register of Historic Places |access-date=September 23, 2024}} and {{NHLS url|id=66000951|title=''Accompanying photos and diagrams, undated''|photos=y}}</ref> [[Teodoro Vidal]], a cultural affairs official under [[Luis Muñoz Marín]], organized renovation work on the building around this time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Teodoro Vidal Santoni (1923–2016): la trayectoria de un coleccionista |url=https://www.80grados.net/teodoro-vidal-santini-1923-2016-la-trayectoria-de-un-coleccionista/ |website=88 Grados}}</ref>

In 1983, ''La Fortaleza'', along with the [[San Juan National Historic Site]], was declared a [[World Heritage Site]] by [[UNESCO]].<ref name=UNESCO/> 

== Trivia ==
{{trivia|section|date=October 2023}}

[[File:La Fortaleza (5731656296).jpg|thumb|''La Fortaleza'' has two defensive towers at its rear façade (west), part of its original [[castle]] structure]]

''La Fortaleza'' has two towers: the Astral Tower and the Homenaje Tower (Homage Tower), which show that it was originally a military structure.

The ''Homage Tower'' houses the ''Santa Catalina Chapel'', where a colorful mosaic of 95,000 pieces in honor of the Holy Trinity stands out.

In 1956, when an area covered with a panel was unsealed, what could be the old kitch''en of La Fortaleza'' was discovered in the ''Austral Tower''.

The paintings exhibited at ''La Fortaleza'' are on loan from the ''Institute of Puerto Rican Historical Culture'' and are changed according to the taste of the ruler of the day.

Originally, ''La Fortaleza'' was painted salmon red, the characteristic color of the island's military installations of the time of Spanish colony. Its wooden doors were green and its columns were painted white with gold details.

[[File:P061411PS-0274 (5937467540).jpg|thumb|U.S. President [[Barack Obama]] tours ''La Fortaleza'' in 2011]]

U.S. Presidents who have visited ''La Fortaleza'', include [[Herbert Hoover]] in 1931, [[Harry S. Truman]] in 1948, [[John F. Kennedy]] in 1961, [[Barack Obama]] in 2011, and [[Bill Clinton]] in 2013.

''La Fortaleza'' has had 156 governors: 124 under the Spanish regime, 19 under the U.S. regime and 13 Puerto Ricans, 11 elected, one appointed by the President of the United States [[Jesús T. Piñero]] and one sworn in by the Constitution of Puerto Rico [[Wanda Vázquez Garced]].

Three flags fly over ''La Fortaleza'': the Puerto Rican flag, the American flag, and the Governor's white flag. When the white flag is not raised, it is because the governor is outside the ''Santa Catalina Palace''.

The ''Hundido Garden'' was named Doña Inés Garden in honor of Doña [[Inés Mendoza]], wife of former governor [[Luis Muñoz Marín]], because that was her favorite spot at ''La Fortaleza'', where she lived for 16 years.

==In literature==
In 2011, Puerto Rican author [[Giannina Braschi]] wrote the dramatic novel ''[[United States of Banana]]'', featuring climactic scenes of revolution at La Fortaleza.

==Gallery==

<gallery>
File:La Fortaleza, San Juan, the 4th July 1899.jpg|Front façade (east)  of ''La Fortaleza'' on July 4, 1899
File:Governor's Palace and sea wall, San Juan, P.R..jpg|Side façade (north) of ''La Fortaleza'' within Old San Juan in 1903
File:San Juan - The Governor's Palace.jpg|Front façade (east) of ''La Fortaleza'' in 1908
File:Reception of the President Herbert Hoover in the Castle La Fortaleza in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1931.jpg|Reception of the U.S. President [[Herbert Hoover]] to ''La Fortaleza'' in 1931
File:La Fortaleza, Calle Fortaleza, San Juan, San Juan Municipio, PR HABS PR,7-SAJU,7-5.tif|''Original "Throne Room", currently Governor's Office, La Fortaleza'' in 1933. Photo by Jack E. Boucher. [[Historic American Buildings Survey]].
File:La Fortaleza, Calle Fortaleza, San Juan, San Juan Municipio, PR HABS PR,7-SAJU,7-3.tif|''La Fortaleza'' in 1933. Photo by Jack E. Boucher. [[Historic American Buildings Survey]].
File:La Fortaleza Viejo San Juan.jpg|Front view of ''La Fortaleza''
File:Umbrella street Old San Juan SJU 06 2019 6300.jpg|''Calle de la Fortaleza'' leading to the palace with a canopy of multicolored umbrellas
File:Calle La Fortaleza con bandera de Puerto Rico.jpg| ''Calle de la Fortaleza'' leading to the palace with a canopy of the  [[flag of Puerto Rico|''Monoestrellada'' (Monostarred) flag of Puerto Rico]]
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of United States National Historic Landmarks in United States commonwealths and territories, associated states, and foreign states]]
* [[List of the oldest buildings in Puerto Rico]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in metropolitan San Juan, Puerto Rico]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Government of Puerto Rico. [https://web.archive.org/web/20030406004643/http://www.fortaleza.gobierno.pr/ Executive Mansion: Santa Catalina's Palace]. San Juan, Puerto Rico. {{in lang|es}}
* World Heritage Committee. [https://whc.unesco.org/archive/repcom83.htm Report of 7th Session, Florence 1983]. Paris:  ''UNESCO's Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage''. January 1984.

==External links==
{{Commons category|La Fortaleza}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030406004643/http://www.fortaleza.gobierno.pr/ Government of Puerto Rico – Executive Mansion: Santa Catalina's Palace] {{in lang|es}}
* [https://whc.unesco.org/sites/266.htm UNESCO – World Heritage Center: La Fortaleza Historic Site Information]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171115101734/http://places.eyetour.com/whatToSee/san-juan/29/la-fortaleza Visiting information]
* {{HABS |survey=PR-54 |id=pr0005 |title=La Fortaleza, Calle Fortaleza, San Juan, San Juan Municipio, PR}}

{{US Governor Mansions}}
{{NRHP in San Juan, Puerto Rico}}
{{World Heritage Sites in the United States of America}}
{{Portal bar|Puerto Rico|Puerto Rico/Did you know-Puerto Rico?}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fortaleza, La}}
[[Category:La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:1540 establishments in New Spain]]
[[Category:1540s establishments in the Spanish West Indies]]
[[Category:16th-century establishments in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Forts in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Governors' mansions in insular areas of the United States]]
[[Category:Historic American Buildings Survey in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Historic house museums in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Houses completed in 1540]]
[[Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:National Historic Landmarks in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in San Juan, Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Official residences in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Palaces in Puerto Rico]]