Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site
Indigenous historic site in Utuado, Puerto Rico. Added to the National Register in 1992, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
The Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site is an archaeological site located in Caguana, Utuado in Puerto Rico, considered to be one of the largest and most important Pre-Columbian sites in the West Indies. The site is known for its well-preserved ceremonial ball courts and petroglyph-carved monoliths. Studies estimate the in-situ courts to be over 700 years old, built by the Taíno around 1270 AD.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Site |
| Address | PR 11, Km. 12.3, Utuado, PR |
| Municipality | Utuado Municipality |
| Listed | Dec 17, 1992 |
| Listed for | Architecture, Native archaeology of the historic period, Prehistoric archaeology, Religion |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | Caguana Site |
| Reference number | 92001671 |
| Type of place | archaeological site, park, batey |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 11 structures, 1 site |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | PR 11, Km. 12.3, Utuado, PR |
| Coordinates | 18.2976° N, 66.7813° W · Directions ↗ |
| Nearest national park unit | San Juan National Historic Site · 45 miles · on Park Atlas |
Explore
Map
Nearby in Utuado Municipality
Guidebooks for Puerto Rico and historic places across the country
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site listed on the National Register?
Dec 17, 1992. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Can I visit Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site?
Yes. Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site?
PR 11, Km. 12.3, Utuado, Utuado Municipality, Puerto Rico. The nearest national park unit is San Juan National Historic Site, 45 miles away.
Source: San Juan National Historic Site
What does the Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site listing include?
The listing counts 12 contributing resources. Those are 11 structures and 1 site. A contributing resource is a part of the listed property that carries its historic significance.
Source: National Park Service
Where is the nomination form for Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Is there cell service at Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site?
FCC coverage maps show T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 92001671. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.