The Catedral Metropolitana Basílica de San Juan Bautista

The Catedral Metropolitana Basílica de San Juan Bautista, or in English, Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Baptist, located in Old San Juan, is Puerto Rico's grandest religious building, and  one of its most important. In fact, San Juan Bautista is the seat of the  Archdiocese of Puerto Rico.  It's also the second oldest church in the Western Hemisphere, and the  oldest church on U.S. soil. The history of the church dates to 1521 and  the earliest beginnings of the Spanish colonization of the island.  The building you see today wasn't the original church, which was  demolished by a hurricane. The current structure dates to 1540. 

Even then, the elegant gothic facade that you see today evolved over centuries. 

The cathedral has also been through its share of trials and  tribulations. Over time it's succumbed to numerous robberies and  pillaging, most notably in 1598, when troops under the Earl of  Cumberland (who famously launched the only successful attack on El Morro)  sacked the city and looted the church. It's also had its share of  weather-related wear and tear, especially in 1615, when a second  hurricane came along and took off its roof. 

Its location on Cristo Street is no accident. A short walk from the San  Juan Gate along the Caleta de las Monjas it was the first stop for many  travelers who landed on the island and walked into the city through its  only seaside entry. Sailors and travelers visited San Juan Bautista as  soon as they got off the boat so they could thank God for a safe voyage. 

As beautiful as it is, the cathedral is also famous for two famous  reliquaries (it once boasted many more treasures, but the repeated theft  and damage has stripped it of much of its original finery). The first  of these is the final resting place of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de  León, the first governor of Puerto Rico and the man who cemented his  place in history when he went chasing after the Fountain of Youth. Ponce  de León may not have spent too many years here (his family, however,  lived in Puerto Rico at the Casa Blanca), but he remains a legendary figure on the island. His  remains were not always at the Catedral. Originally, the famed  conquistador was interred up the street at the Iglesia de San José, but  he was moved here in 1908 and placed in the white marble tomb you see  today. 

The cathedral also houses one other distinguished and long-deceased  figure. Look for the wax-covered mummified remains of St. Pio, a Roman  martyr killed for his faith. The saint is encased in a glass box and  makes for a somewhat eerie spectacle.