Ponce Cathedral
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Catedral Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe of Ponce
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Front facade of Ponce Cathedral
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 Location of Ponce and the cathedral in Puerto Rico
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| Location |
Plaza Las Delicias Ponce, Puerto Rico |
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| Coordinates | 18°00′43″N 66°36′50″W / 18.011839°N 66.613992°WCoordinates: 18°00′43″N 66°36′50″W / 18.011839°N 66.613992°W |
| Area | 2,960 m2 (31,900 sq ft) |
| Built | 1835 |
| Architect | Francisco Porrata Doria (1932 facade) |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| MPS | 19th Century Civil Architecture in Ponce TR (AD) |
| NRHP Reference # | 84000467 |
| Added to NRHP | December 10, 1984 |
The Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (English: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe) or simply, Ponce Cathedral, is the cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce located in downtown Ponce, Puerto Rico. The cathedral lies in the middle of Ponce's town square, known as Plaza Las Delicias, located at the center of the Ponce Historic Zone. For its historic significance, the cathedral was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is the seat of the Bishop of Ponce, currently Rubén González Medina.
The cathedral has a history that dates to 1670. It has been damaged several times by fires and earthquakes. It stands out among Puerto Rico's other four cathedrals for its intricate design. It has a large pipe organ that was played by danza master and composer Juan Morel Campos. Architecturally, it is designed in the neoclassical style. Structurally, it follows a cruciform plan, with a large dome at the crossing. The interior consists of a main nave and two large ailes separated by a series of eight arcades. There are two small chapels in its interior. Two three-story square towers decorate the front facade.
The cathedral has over 300 years of history. In 1670, a small chapel was built in the center of the colonial settlement of Ponce on the site of the present cathedral. On September 17, 1692, the King of Spain, Carlos II, issued a Cédula Real (Royal Permit) designating the chapel as a parish church. In 1835, the original parish church was demolished to build a larger church, which was completed and opened for worship in 1839. Amongst its new features were two octagonal towers on the corners of the front facade. The original (pre-1918) towers were also three stories high and had windows on each of the sides. They were each topped with a Christian cross. The cathedral contains a number of burials within its interior.
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