Casa Rosita Serrallés facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Casa Rosita Serrallés |
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Casa Rosita Serrallés (now Museo de la Recordacion del Barrio Mameyes)
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Town or city | Salud Street, between Isabel and Cristina Streets, Ponce |
| Country | Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates | 18°00′43″N 66°36′40″W / 18.0120°N 66.6112°W |
| Completed | 1926 |
| Renovated | 2012 |
| Cost | $364,807 |
| Client | Juan Eugenio Serralles |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Alfredo Wiechers Pieretti |
Casa Rosita Serrallés is a special historic building in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Its name means Rosita Serrallés Residence in Spanish. You can find it on Calle Salud street, right behind the famous Teatro La Perla.
This beautiful house was built for the family of Juan Eugenio Serrallés. His father, Juan Serrallés Colón, started the Destilería Serrallés company, which makes Don Q rum. The city of Ponce bought the house in 2008. They wanted to save it because it's important for its history, culture, and unique design.
Since 2014, Casa Rosita Serrallés has been a museum. It's called the "Museo de la Recordacion Barrio Mameyes" (Barrio Mameyes Memorial Museum). It helps people remember the 1985 Mameyes tragedy, a big natural disaster that affected the area. It's also known as "Sala Memorial del Barrio Mameyes" and is part of the Museo de la Historia de Ponce.
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What is the History of Casa Rosita Serrallés?
The house was built in 1926. In 1979, it became the home of Rosita Serrallés Sánchez and her husband, Guillermo Torruella Fornaris. Rosita was the daughter of Juan Eugenio Serrallés and Rosa María Sánchez. This couple had also built the much larger Castillo Serrallés mansion on El Vigia Hill. Rosita and Guillermo lived in the big mansion until Guillermo became ill. Then, they moved to Casa Rosita Serrallés.
In 2008, the city of Ponce bought the house from Rosita's children. It cost $364,807. The city wanted to make sure this important building was preserved. In 2014, under Mayor María Meléndez, it opened as the Barrio Mameyes Memorial Museum.
Where is Casa Rosita Serrallés Located?
The house is in the Ponce Historic Zone. It sits on the west side of Salud Street, between Cristina and Isabel Streets. It's right next to the Juan Morel Campos Music Institute.
Its location is very special. It's on the same block as the historic Teatro La Perla and the Ponce History Museum. Because of these important buildings, the city calls this area the Plaza de la Cultura de Ponce. This means "Plaza of Ponce Culture."
Why is Casa Rosita Serrallés Important?
Casa Rosita Serrallés was built for the family of Don Eugenio Serrallés. He was a very important person in the sugar cane industry in the early 1900s. The building is significant for three main reasons: its architecture, its history, and its culture.
Architectural Style
The house is a great example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. This style was first brought to Puerto Rico by architect Pedro Adolfo de Castro. It uses design ideas from old Spanish buildings.
Historical Value
The building shows us how much southern Puerto Rico changed in the 1920s. At that time, Ponce relied a lot on the sugar cane industry. This brought a lot of money to many families. These wealthy families often looked to Europe for ideas on culture and design. The house reminds us of this time of growth and change.
Cultural Importance
Casa Rosita Serrallés was the downtown home of one of the richest families in 19th-century Puerto Rico. This family had a big impact on the island's economy. Their main home was Castillo Serrallés, which is now a historic landmark. The city bought Casa Rosita Serrallés to add to its collection of cultural treasures. The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture helps with its care and restoration.
What Does the House Look Like?
Casa Rosita Serrallés is a single-story building. You enter the main part of the house from Calle Salud street. The front of the house isn't very wide, but the building stretches out quite long from east to west. It was designed in 1926 by the local architect Alfredo Wiechers Pieretti. It also has a large courtyard in the back.
The house was built completely out of concrete. Its design was popular in the 1910s, showing a Spanish Mediterranean influence. You'll notice the red roof tiles, which are a key feature. These tiles are on all the rooftops of the building. The outside walls are covered in stucco, a type of plaster finish.
What is Casa Rosita Serrallés Used For Now?
The building was carefully restored to become part of the Museo de la Historia de Ponce. Its main purpose is to tell the story of the 1985 Mameyes tragedy. This was a very sad event that affected the barrio of Portugues Urbano in Ponce. The museum helps people remember what happened and learn from it.
See also
- Juan Serrallés
- Destilería Serrallés
- Castillo Serrallés
