Caparra Archaeological Site
Encyclopedia
Caparra is an archaeological site
in the municipality of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
. It was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark
in 1994.
At the time of the designation in 1994, it was stated:
Today the grounds include the Museum of the Conquest and Colonization of Puerto Rico (Museo de la Conquista y Colonizaciòn), which features artifacts from the site and other archaeological sites in Puerto Rico.
founded the original Spanish settlement in Puerto Rico at Caparra (named after the province Caceres
, Spain, the birthplace of then-governor of Spain's Caribbean territories Nicolás de Ovando
), which today is known as the Pueblo Viejo sector of Guaynabo, just to the west of the present San Juan
metropolitan area. A year later, the settlement was moved to a site then called Puerto Rico, Spanish for "rich port" or "good port", after its similar geographical features to the island of Gran Canaria
in the Canary Islands
. In 1521, the newer settlement was given its formal name, San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico, in honor of John the Baptist
, following the tradition of christening the town with both its formal name and the name which Christopher Columbus
had originally given the island.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
in the municipality of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Guaynabo is a municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas; south of Cataño; east of Bayamón; and west of San Juan...
. It was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1994.
At the time of the designation in 1994, it was stated:
Today the grounds include the Museum of the Conquest and Colonization of Puerto Rico (Museo de la Conquista y Colonizaciòn), which features artifacts from the site and other archaeological sites in Puerto Rico.
History
In 1508, Juan Ponce de LeónJuan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. He led the first European expedition to Florida, which he named...
founded the original Spanish settlement in Puerto Rico at Caparra (named after the province Caceres
Cáceres (province)
The province of Cáceres is a province of western Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Extremadura. It is bordered by the provinces of Salamanca, Ávila, Toledo, and Badajoz, and by Portugal....
, Spain, the birthplace of then-governor of Spain's Caribbean territories Nicolás de Ovando
Nicolás de Ovando
Fray Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres was a Spanish soldier from a noble family and a Knight of the Order of Alcántara. He was Governor of the Indies from 1502 until 1509...
), which today is known as the Pueblo Viejo sector of Guaynabo, just to the west of the present San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
metropolitan area. A year later, the settlement was moved to a site then called Puerto Rico, Spanish for "rich port" or "good port", after its similar geographical features to the island of Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, with a population of 838,397 which constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago...
in the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. In 1521, the newer settlement was given its formal name, San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico, in honor of John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
, following the tradition of christening the town with both its formal name and the name which Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
had originally given the island.
External links
- Museo y Parque Histórico Ruinas de Caparra - Institute of Puerto Rican CultureInstitute of Puerto Rican CultureThe Institute of Puerto Rican Culture , or ICP, for short, is an institution of the Government of Puerto Rico responsible for the establishment of the cultural policies required in order to study, preserve, promote, enrich, and diffuse the cultural values of Puerto Rico...
- Caparra Ruins - information
- Information from the National Park Service