After the British attack on San Juan in 1792, the United States brought salvaged materials from the destroyed fleet to New York. Nearly 100 years later the bronze from the English cannons were made into a statue of Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon. The statue was then sent to San Juan, Puerto Rico where it stands at the Plaza de San Josem overlooking the El Morro fortress on the northern tip of the city.
This historical statue was erected to remember de Leon who sailed with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the area. He was in search of the Fountain of Youth when he discovered Florida. Ponce de Leon conquered Puerto Rico where he remained governor until 1512. In addition to the statue of the explorer, de Leon's tomb is also located in San Juan.
In 1797 the British were readying themselves for an attack on San Juan at night when soldiers saw a band of marching people with torches chanting. The soldiers mistook the marchers for local militia and retreated, electing not to attack the city.
A statue in Plazuela de la Rogativa depicts a man and three women marching and holding torches into the air. This group had actually been a local bishop and his congregation performing a religious ceremony on that night, and the statue was built to recognize this moment in history when the city would have otherwise been under siege. Visitors can find the statue by seeking out Recinto Oeste Street and climbing the nearby hill at Caleta Las Monjas in Old San Juan.
One of the must see attractions in Puerto Rico is the marble statue of explorer Christopher Columbus in Mayaguez. In 1493 Columbus landed on the island where he was showered with riches. Unlike other explorers, such as Ponce de Leon, he did not take advantage of the local people. He was merely there to discover new places. For this reason the people Puerto Rico remember Columbus fondly, hence the remarkable statue in what is known as Columbus Square, or Plaza de Colon. Travelers can reach Columbus Square by following highway PR-102 to Columbus Landing near the Mayaguez Mall.
The statue shows Columbus holding a flag in one hand and a globe in the other. He stands upon a large pedestal and is surrounded by bronze plates depicting significant moments in the explorer's life. Sixteen other statues surround the main statue and the area sees a regular flow of sightseers wishing to view the important landmark.
