Concha Acústica de Ponce facts for kids
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Concha Acustica de Ponce, seen from the seating area
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| Former names | Teatro del Parque de la Abolicion |
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| Address | Marina and Salud Streets |
| Location | Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates | 18°00′22.7874″N 66°36′45.7914″W / 18.006329833°N 66.612719833°W |
| Owner | Municipality of Ponce |
| Type | Amphitheatre |
| Genre(s) | musical, performing arts, cultural |
| Seating type | Concrete benches; lawn area |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1956 |
| Opened | 1956 |
| Website | |
| www.visitponce.com | |
The Concha Acústica de Ponce (which means "Ponce Acoustic Shell" in English) is an outdoor stage and seating area in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It's like a big open-air theater where people can enjoy music and other performances. The city government of Ponce owns and manages this special place.
You can find the Concha Acústica inside the Parque de la Abolición (Abolition Park). It's mainly used for cultural events, like concerts and shows. The current design of the Concha Acústica, along with the nearby Monumento a la abolición de la esclavitud (a monument celebrating the end of slavery), was completed in 1956. An architect named Francisco Porrata-Doría helped with this important redesign.
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Where is the Concha Acústica?
This amphitheater is located on Avenida Hostos, where Salud Street and Marina Street meet. It's just north of the tall obelisk that remembers the end of slavery. The Concha Acústica, the obelisk, and the park's grassy areas together form a triangular city block.
Seating and Stage Features
The Concha Acústica can hold about 2,000 people. The audience sits on long concrete benches, which can fit many people at once. The stage itself has two marble sides. These sides are decorated with six special carvings called relief sculptures. These carvings honor six famous musicians from Ponce.
- On the left side, you'll see sculptures of Juan Morel Campos, Manuel G. Tavarez, and Arístides Chavier Arévalo.
- On the right side, there are sculptures of Antonio Paoli, Julio C. Arteaga, and Juan Ríos Ovalle.
History of the Amphitheater
The area where the Concha Acústica stands has a long history.
Early Park Development
In 1874, just one year after slavery was abolished in Puerto Rico, some citizens built a small monument to remember this big event. Later, in 1880, three important people – Olimpio Otero, Juan Mayoral Barnés, and Román Baldorioty de Castro – worked to create a park dedicated to the abolition of slavery. Juan Mayoral Barnés brought the idea to the Ponce Municipal Assembly on March 14, 1880. Everyone agreed, and the park was officially approved by a Royal Decree on March 1, 1881.
At first, this triangular area was just a peaceful park with green lawns, flowers, and shady trees. This park was built in the 1890s.
Building the Concha Acústica
The Concha Acústica itself was built much later, in 1956. This happened when Andrés Grillasca Salas was the mayor of Ponce. The amphitheater was built on part of the land that was already the park. The architect who designed this structure was Francisco Porrata Doria, who was from Ponce.
What is the Concha Acústica Used For?
Over the years, the Concha Acústica has been used for many different events. It often hosts performances by the Ponce Municipal Band. It has also been a venue for the Ponce Jazz Festival, bringing music and culture to the community.
See also
- List of theaters in Ponce, Puerto Rico
