With a population of 194,636, Ponce is Puerto Rico’s second-largest city (San Juan is the largest and Mayagüez is the third). Ponce is commonly known by several names: “La Perla del Sur” (Pearl of the South), “La Ciudad de los Leones” (City of Lions), and “La Ciudad de las Quenepas” (Genip City). Ponce is also known as the “Ciudad Señorial” (Majestic or Noble City) because of its many beautiful neoclassical buildings and facades.
Ponce was founded in 1692 by Juan Ponce de León’s great‑grandson, Loíza Ponce de León. It served as Spain’s capital of the southern region until it fell to the United States in 1898.
Ponce lies in the Southern Coastal Plain region, about 5 km (3 mi) from the south‑central coast of the island, south of Adjuntas, Utuado, and Jayuya; east of Peñuelas; and west of Juana Díaz. Annual precipitation is approximately 36 inches along the coast and 48 inches in the interior, with an average temperature of 75°F.
Nearly half a billion dollars have been invested in preserving Ponce’s colonial core. The historic heart of the city, dating from the late 17th century and declared a national treasure, is composed of plazas, churches, highly decorative colonial homes, notable fountains, and a unique fire station.
Ponce is an important trading and distribution center, and it has a major port of entry; Playa de Ponce Port is one of the busiest ports in the Caribbean, handling tobacco, coffee, rum, and sugar cane.
The beautiful downtown Plaza de las Delicias is well worth a visit, with elegant fountains, a cathedral, and locals relaxing on park benches. The distinctive red‑and‑black, century‑old wooden firehouse known as Parque de Bombas is a landmark and still in use. Originally built in 1882 for an exposition, it served as the headquarters of the Ponce Fire Corps from 1883 to 1989. In 1990, the firehouse was reopened as a museum; there are exhibits on the second floor, and the municipal band plays a free concert every Sunday night.
Other notable buildings around the plaza include the Casa Alcaldía (City Hall), the Museum of Puerto Rican Music, and the world‑class Ponce Museum of Art.