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Plaza del Mercado de Ponce

Plaza del Mercado de Ponce
IMG 2684 - Plaza del Mercado Isabel II in Ponce, PR.jpg
Plaza del Mercado Isabel Segunda in Ponce, Puerto Rico
General information
Architectural style Neoclassical, Art Deco
Location Ponce Historic Zone, at the grid formed by Atocha, Estrella, Leon, and Castillo streets.
Town or city Ponce
Country Puerto Rico
Coordinates 18°00′53″N 66°36′49″W / 18.01464°N 66.61352°W / 18.01464; -66.61352
Completed 1863
Client Government of the Municipality of Ponce
Design and construction
Architect Timoteo Luberza (1863), also Pedro Mendez Mercado (1903, 1941, 1989), and Miguel A. Carlos (1992)
Engineer Timoteo Luberza

Coordinates: 18°0′52.7034″N 66°36′48.67″W / 18.014639833°N 66.6135194°W / 18.014639833; -66.6135194

The Plaza del Mercado de Ponce (English: Ponce Market Plaza), or formally, Plaza del Mercado Isabel Segunda (often abbreviated as Plaza del Mercado Isabel II), is a historic marketplace building in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It was inaugurated in 1863 by Ponce Mayor Don Luis de Quixano. The building was designed by famed engineer Timoteo Luberza. The Plaza occupies a city block in the Ponce Historic Zone at the grid formed by Atocha, Estrella, Leon, and Castillo streets. It has room for 65 kiosks. It was originally called "Plaza del Capa."

The building was erected from plans by Timoteo Luberza in 1863, who modeled it after Les Halles, the market of Paris in France. It the time it was built, it was the largest and most modern marketplace in Puerto Rico. It has undergone four major additions and/or remodelings since then: in 1903, 1941, 1989, and 2007.

In 1903 it was enlarged according to the Neoclassical design of architect Manuel V. Domenech. A meat storage was also added. Even by the early 1900s, Plaza del Mercado had enjoyed many years of heavy use and, by 1926, Plaza del Mercado Isabel II was so overcrowded that the city of Ponce built a second plaza, Mercado de las Carnes ("Meat Market"), to relieve the overcrowding at Plaza del Mercado.

In 1941, it was again enlarged per plans by Ponce-born architect Pedro Mendez Mercado. During the 1941 remodeling, the original structure, which was not art deco, was enhanced with an art deco facade.


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