Susúa State Forest is 3,240 acres of subtropical forest where you can spot rare birds and red bats, the only native mammal on the Island.
Sabana Grande
Set in the western coastal valleys of Puerto Rico, Sabana Grande is a small town surrounded by public forest land and packed with history and architectural gems.
Sabana Grande is known as the Town of the Prodigies, being the birthplace of numerous notable Puerto Rican writers, musicians, comedians, and athletes. It's also nicknamed the Town of Petateros in honor of the many artisans that make petate, a mat woven from a specific type of palm leaf.
Virgen del Pozo sanctuary
La Virgen del Pozo
One of the most notable sites to visit in Sabana Grande is the Virgen del Pozo sanctuary.
First Appearance
In 1953, three children collecting water at a nearby pozo (a natural well) witnessed the appearance of a young woman carrying a rosary and levitating above the ground. She was dressed in a white robe and a blue veil, with a crown of seven stars over her head. She identified herself as the Virgin of the Rosary, a manifestation of the Virgin Mary.
Honoring the Virgin Mary
Over the next month she appeared numerous times. Later, a chapel and sanctuary were erected to honor the lady's miraculous appearances. The chapel has gorgeous stained-glass windows and a shrine to the Virgin.
Nearby is the original building of the rural public school the children attended. There is also a small museum with testimonies of the people who witnessed the apparition of the Virgin.
Local Events
In May, the sanctuary also acts as the starting line for the Virgen del Pozo 10K. It's a foot race that began in 1954, the year after the miracle occurred, and is the oldest continuously run race in Puerto Rico.
Santa María de la Cabeza church in Sabana Grande's town plaza.
Historic Houses, Churches and Monuments
The main square of Sabana Grande, officially named Plaza de Recreo José A. Busigó, is surrounded by a number of historic buildings with unique architectural styles.
Churches
The oldest building in the town is the San Isidro Labrador and Santa María de la Cabeza Church, constructed in 1844, which preserves the neoclassical features of the facade, free-standing dome, and tower. Nearby is the San Isidro Parish House and Logia Igualdad, a Masonic lodge. Sabana Grande has the Island’s only Masonic cemetery.
Houses
Next to the pink City Hall building is a mint-green Spanish colonial building locally known as the "Famous Corner," featuring an elegant wooden balcony that goes around the entire second floor.
Also located around the square are the Twin Houses, also known as the Castillo Residence, two identical Spanish colonial homes with elaborate detailing and brightly colored facades.
The most famous house in Sabana Grande is Casa Barco, or the Boat House, a prairie-style mansion shaped roughly like a ship, with a wide and majestic entrance and notable Art Deco details, designed by Puerto Rican architect Rafael Bofill in 1926.
Monuments on the Square
On the square, there is a monument to the fallen Puerto Rican soldiers of World War II and the Korean War. You can also find an acoustic shell decorated in murals and a statue of the most famous petate weaver of the town, Doña Monserrate Montalvo.
Susúa State Forest
For some outdoor fun visit Susúa State Forest, a subtropical forest with recreational facilities, campgrounds, and visitor center. It's located in the foothills of Puerto Rico's Central Mountain range and is a transitional forest between the Guánica Dry Forest in the south and the Maricao Rainforest to the north. Visitors can spot rare birds and native trees throughout the woods as well as red bats, the only native mammal of the Island.
This forest's 3,240 acres are located on the foothills of the central mountain range of Puerto Rico. Susúa is a transitional forest between the Guánica Dry Forest on the south and the Maricao humid forest to the north of the Island.
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