Spanish colonists established Villa de San Germán de Auxerre, also known as Nueva Salamanca, in the early years of the 16th century. The town of San Germán grew out of the settlement formally established in 1573, and it is this original urban core, transformed by rapid growth from the 1830s to the 1940s, that comprises the San Germán Historic District. Today, the San Germán Historic District includes more than 100 significant buildings. Visitors can see numerous beautiful homes in the district, including the noted Victorian-style Juan Ortiz Perichi House on Luna Street, which architect Jorge Rigau once called "one of the best developed spatial sequences in residential architecture in Puerto Rico." Also, many famous Puerto Ricans came from the San Germán Historic District; among them was Lola Rodríguez de Tió (1843-1924), the well-known poet and political leader who wrote the lyrics of Puerto Rico's unoffical national anthem, "La Borinqueña."

The San Germán Historic District is roughly bounded by Luna, Estrella, Concepción, Javilla, and Ferrocarril sts. in the western section of San Germán, Puerto Rico. The Church of San Germán de Auxerre and the Convento de Porta Coeli lie within the district. For further information, call 787-892-3790 .

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