San Juan Garita

San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico, famous for the iconic garitas — the candy-striped sentry boxes that dot the massive walls of Old San Juan's colonial fortifications. These small, domed lookout turrets, perched above the crashing Atlantic surf at Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal, were built by the Spanish in the 16th–18th centuries to guard against invaders. Today the garita has become Puerto Rico's most recognizable symbol, representing centuries of Caribbean history, resilience, and the island's unique blend of Spanish colonial heritage.