Cuartel de Ballajá (Ballaja Barracks), San Juan

Ballaja Barracks (or Cuartel de Ballajá in Spanish) is a military barracks located in San Juan. It was built from 1854 to 1864 for the Spanish troops established on the island and their families.

The three-story structure was completed in 1864, occupying an area of 7,700 square meters (83,000 sq ft). It could accommodate over 1,000 citizens, originally Spanish soldiers and their families. Its vast interior patio is one of the best examples of 19th-century Spanish architecture.

The barracks were heavily used during the Spanish–American War near the end of the 19th century. On May 12, 1898, during the American bombing of San Juan, the fleet led by Admiral William T. Sampson damaged the northeast side of the barracks. After the war ended, and with the change of sovereignty, the barracks became the quarters for the United States Army until 1939.

Today, the Ballaja Barracks houses several educational and cultural organizations including the Latin America Museum on its second floor. The museum offers three permanent collections: African Heritage, the Indian in America, and Popular Arts in America.