The settlement of San Juan began in 1509. During four centuries of
Spanish rule, San Juan’s enemies coveted the city’s riches and tried to
capture them. Each attempt resulted in greater fortifications: first
the twin towers of La Fortaleza, then the ever expanding ramparts of
Castillo San Felipe del Morro and the city walls; finally, the
impregnable San Cristóbal. The city and island remained Spanish until
the Spanish-American War of 1898, when it became part of the United
States after the Treaty of Paris.
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