Three ships sailed under the command of Christopher Columbus during his first voyage from August of 1492 until March of 1493. Six months later, a fleet of 17 ships accompanied him at the start of his second voyage. During his exploration of several Caribbean islands, he landed in Puerto Rico on November 19, 1493. The natives called it Borinquen. Columbus renamed it San Juan Bautista in honor of Saint John the Baptist. This marble column and statue in Plaza de Colon pays tribute to the 400th anniversary of the discovery. Surrounding the monument are 16 bronze reliefs showing major events of Columbus’ expedition.
