San Germán de Puerto Rico, a municipality with Catalan heritage
Just take a look at the historic coat of arms of the American town of San Germán de Puerto Rico to detect the omnipresent influence of the Catalan-Aragonese crown. The current town of San Germán is a municipality located in the southwestern region of Puerto Rico. It is one of the oldest cities on the island and has a rich history that dates back to the early days of Hispanic colonization. The city was founded in 1570 by Diego de Torres y Velasco, becoming the second oldest city in Puerto Rico (the first was Caparra, where Juan Ponce de León had his residence). However, this point is not clear, as the town's website also states that it was founded on August 12, 1573, by Governor Juan de Céspedes. The confusion is understandable when considering a curious anomaly: this town changed locations and was refounded many times. Its original territory was so extensive (Partida de San Germán) that from its fragmentation, 22 towns were created, which is why it is known as "the founder o