Miramar in San Juan in Municipio de San Juan, Puerto Rico — The Caribbean (The West Indies)
Capilla Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
[The Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes]
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 3, 2019
1. Capilla Nuestra Señora de Lourdes Marker
Historia de la Capilla
La Capilla de Nuestra Señora de Lourdes es uno de los más bellos edificios y de mayor valor arquitectónico dentro del Distrito Histórico de Miramar. Fue diseñada con un estilo neo-gótico por el renombrado arquitecto checo Antonín Nechodoma en 1907 y abrió sus puertas en 1908.
Llama especial atención de esta pequeña y hermosa capilla, las cuatro gárgolas de piedra que coronan la torre del campanario y las cuales le dan un aire de misterio y elegancia, así también como sus cerchas góticas en el interior y los hermosos vitrales.
Inicialmente, la capilla fue usada por la Iglesia Metodista Episcopal. Luego de eso, fue ocupada por la "Union Church" y posteriormente El 17 de febrero de 1959 pasó a la Iglesia Católica - Arquidiócesis de San Juan, mediante donativo que hicieron los esposos Don Pedro Santiago y Catalina Mejía de Santiago.
Debido a que hacia el 1982, la capilla estaba abandonada y deteriorada, la Sra. Elba Armstrong, de las Hijas Católicas - Corte de Lourdes, con el aval de su presidenta la Sra. Ana Iturregui, tuvo la iniciativa de restaurarla. En 1987, las 24 ventanas de vitrales fueron restauradas. En 1992, los vitrales de "Jesús y los Niños" y del "Espíritu Santo" fueron restaurados y los marcos de las ventanas fueron reconstruidos. En 1993 se restauró el piso del altar con pisos en madera nuevos, idénticos a los originales y se instaló un mosaico similar al del salón principal en la nave lateral, la sacristía y el baño. Por su arquitectura única y naturaleza histórica, la capilla fue incluida en el "US National Record for Historic Places" el 25 de septiembre de 1984.
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History of the Chapel
The Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes is one of the most beautiful buildings with a great architectural value within the Miramar Historic District. It was designed in a Neo-Gothic style by the renowned Czech architect Antonín Nechodoma in 1907 and opened in 1908.
The four stone gargoyles that crown the tower of the bell tower draws special attention to this small and beautiful chapel. Its interior gothic trusses and the beautiful stained glass windows also lend it an air of mystery and elegance.
Initially, the chapel was used by the Methodist Episcopal Church. After that, it was occupied by the "Union Church" and later on February 17, 1959 it passed to the Catholic Church and the Archdiocese of San Juan, through a donation made by Pedro Santiago and Catalina Mejía de Santiago.
By 1982, the chapel was abandoned and deteriorated, so Mrs. Elba Armstrong, of the Catholic Daughters - Court of Lourdes, with the endorsement of its president Mrs. Ana Iturregui, started an initiative to restore it. In 1987, the 24 stained glass windows were restored. In 1992, the stained glass windows of "Jesus and the Children" and the "Holy Spirit" were restored and the window frames were rebuilt. In 1993 the altar floor was restored with new wooden floors, identical to the original ones, and a mosaic similar to that of the main hall was installed in the side nave, the sacristy and the bathroom. For its unique architecture and historical nature, the chapel was included in the "US National Record for Historic Places" on September 25, 1984.
Topics.
this page online
Location. 18° 27.38′ N, 66° 5.104′ W. Marker is in San Juan in Municipio de San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is in Miramar. It is on Avenida Miramar south of Calle Axtmayer, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: San Juan PR 00926, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, it is one of the Greater Antilles on the Caribbean Sea, on in the Atlantic Ocean, in North America, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Fort San Antonio (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Guillermo Esteves Bridge (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Ataques a la Isleta (approx. half a kilometer away); First Line of Defense (approx. half a kilometer away); Polvorín de San Jerónimo (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); Memorial de Pulse (Pulse Memorial) (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); Palma real (approx. 1.3 kilometers away); Segunda línea de defensa
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 3, 2019
2. An additional Capilla Nuestra Señora de Lourdes Marker
A fundraiser display for this historic church's restoration.
Also see . . . Primera Iglesia Episcopal Metodista (Capilla Nuestra Señora de Lourdes). Web page from the Puerto Rico Historic Buildings Drawings Society website highlighting the background and history of this historic church. (Submitted on April 5, 2020, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 3, 2019
3. Capilla Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 3, 2019
4. Capilla Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 3, 2019
5. Capilla Nuestra Señora de Lourdes and Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 29, 2020, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 1,280 times since then and 146 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 5, 2020, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
