Porta Coeli (Puerto Rico)

Porta Coeli ('Gateway to Heaven' in Latin) Convent church, or El Convento de Santo Domingo de Porta Coeli in Spanish, is one of the oldest church structures in the western hemisphere, located in San Germán, Puerto Rico.

In 1609, the Dominican Order built the Convento de Porta Coeli at the crest of a hill in what is now San Germán Historic District.

The single nave church was constructed of rubble masonry with stucco surfaced walls and a wood truss roof.

[3] In 1949 Ubaldino Ramírez de Arellano, Monseñor Mac Manus, Bishop of Ponce, Senator Santiago R. Palmer and others arranged for the church of Porta Coeli in San German to be sold to the Government of Puerto Rico for a dollar so that it would be responsible for its safekeeping and preservation.

[4] After restoration by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, the church now houses the Museo de Arte Religioso.

Altar of Porta Coeli Church, with the Virgin Mary in the top center