Loiza parish's Parroquia del Espíritu Santo y San Patricio represents an ethically distinct community characterized by a rich Afro-Hispanic cultural and folk craft tradition. The church building, constructed in 1645, is one of Puerto Rico's oldest churches. The church's massive walls and buttresses helped the building withstand flood and hurricanes and likewise provided the people of Loiza with shelter from such natural disasters. The church, named after Saint Patrick, was enlarged to its present size in 1729.

The Parroquia del Espíritu Santo is located at the plaza on Calle Espíritu Santo in Loiza, Puerto Rico. For further information, call 787-876-2229.

Information and photos courtesy of the National Register for Historic Places Puerto Rico Travel Itinerary, a subsidiary of the National Park Service.

Credits and Sources:

Nancy Cox, Undergraduate Student, University of West Florida