El Cuartel de Ballaja (The Ballaja Infantry Barracks Building) was constructed by the Spanish army between 1854 and 1864. The structure is one of the most impressive constructed by Spain in the New World and it stands as the last example of monumental military architecture by the Spanish Monarchy in the Americas.

Located on a lot of approximately three acres between Morovis, Beneficencia and Norzagaray streets, y occupies six city blocks of the Ballaja community (Barrrio Ballaja) that were expropriated and demolished in 1853.

Used until 1898 as infantry barracks and permanent housing for aproximately a thousand soldiers, it consisted of rooms for officers, solders and their families, storage, kitchens, dining rooms, jail cells and stables for horses. The ascending vaulted gothic ceilings above the main staircase are unique in Puerto Rico

On the 12th of May in 1898, during the bombing of San Juan by Admiral William T. Sampson's United State of America naval squadron, the northwest side the Barracks were damaged. After the change of sovereignty the Americans also used the facilities as barracks until 1939. After that date it became the Rodríguez Hospital .

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