Oh I love my history and this topped the list of the places I have visited in my travels!
The Iglesia de San José (San José Church) began construction in 1523. Juan Ponce de León gave the land where the Church now stands. Originally called the Church and Monastery of Saint Thomas Aquinas, it was built by Dominican friars to serve as the monastery's church and chapel dedicated to Saint Thomas Aquinas. The section erected in 1532, the Main Chapel or Sanctuary, is an excellent example of 16th century Spanish Gothic architecture. Ponce de León, was buried here for 300 years until his body was moved to the San Juan Cathedral in 1913. This was the family church of Ponce de León's descendants. Puerto Rican painter José Campeche, who contributed a great deal to the beautiful churches of his island, is buried here.
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