Cathedral of Rum
Cathedral of Rum (Bacardi Distillery) in Cataño, Puerto Rico, sits across from Old San Juan and is the world’s largest rum distillery. The complex covers about 55 hectares (137 acres) with 44 buildings, 24 of which are considered historically important. It was built in 1947 and designed by architects W. Donald Christie, Henry Klumb, Enrique Gutiérrez, and Héctor Varela.
Bacardi was founded in Cuba in 1862. Its first Puerto Rico batch was produced in Cataño on January 1, 1937. In 1958, Bacardí bought 138 acres in Cataño, and Governor Luis Muñoz Marín called the site the “Cathedral of Rum.” Today Bacardi Limited is a global company that employs about 7,000 people and sells its products in roughly 170 countries.
The distillery was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 6, 2010, for its economic impact and its notable designers. The site includes a family museum, and in 2012 the Bacardi family celebrated 150 years in business with the unveiling of a bust of founder Facundo Bacardí Massó. Governor Luis Fortuño also declared Bacardi Day, to be celebrated on February 4, in honor of the company’s ties to Puerto Rico.
Visitors can take historical and rum-tasting tours and learn how to mix Bacardi drinks. The complex is the second most visited tourist attraction in Puerto Rico. After Hurricane Maria in 2017, the distillery helped provide clean drinking water to residents.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:29 (CET).