Panteón Nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro facts for kids
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Cementerio Antiguo de Ponce
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The Panteón Nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro, previously known as Cementerio Antiguo de Ponce (looking north)
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 Location in Puerto Rico
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| Location | Calle Torre no. 1 and Calle Frontispicio, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
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| Area | 3.7 acres (1.5 ha) |
| Built | 1842 |
| Architect | Antonio Torruella (1842) Nieto Blajol Iglesia (1864 project) |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003149 |
| Added to NRHP | 5 January 1984 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1992 |
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| Location | Torres no. 1 &Frontispicio St., Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Type | Cemetery Museum |
| Visitors | 17,567 (2000) |
| Owner | Autonomous Municipality of Ponce |
The Panteón Nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro is a special place in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It started as the city's main cemetery in 1842. Later, it became a famous burial ground and a national pantheon. A pantheon is a building or monument where important people are buried.
This site is Puerto Rico's first and only national pantheon. It is also the only cemetery in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean that works as a museum. Before it became a national pantheon, it was known as Cementerio Viejo or Cementerio Antiguo de Ponce. It is listed under that name on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
The pantheon is named after Román Baldorioty de Castro. He was a very important Puerto Rican politician. He strongly believed that Puerto Rico should govern itself. His remains are buried here. The site also has a small museum that tells the story of how Puerto Rico worked to gain more self-rule. Today, it is used as a park and a place for cultural events. The museum is called the Museo del Autonomismo Puertorriqueño.
The cemetery was built in 1842 by Antonio Torruella. It was made bigger in 1864 by Nieto Blajol Iglesia. It stopped being used for new burials in 1918. In 1991, it was officially turned into the National Pantheon.
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History of the Pantheon
In 1838, leaders in Ponce decided they needed a new cemetery. The old one was in bad shape and could make people sick. The city didn't have enough money to build a new one. So, they asked everyone in the community to help by giving money.
A group of leaders was chosen to collect donations and start building the cemetery. The new cemetery was planned for a piece of land next to the old one. It was approved by the mayor of Ponce, but construction didn't start until 1842. People from the "Villa" (town) of Ponce gave money to make it happen.
In 1843, the cemetery officially opened. The mayor, Don Juan Rondon Martinez, was the first person buried there. In 1864, the cemetery was made larger and repaired. They fixed the walls, built new paths, and added more burial spots. They also built a small chapel and a mortuary (a building for preparing bodies). The cemetery was closed for new burials in 1915.
Design and Construction
The cemetery was designed with small mausoleums. Mausoleums are buildings that hold tombs. These were placed along a main path and smaller side paths. The paths led from the entrance to a chapel at the back.
Most of the buildings were made in the neoclassical style. This style was popular at the time. It uses features like columns, pilasters (flat columns on a wall), and arches. It also includes Greek-style triangular tops called pediments.
The walls and strong supports were built using bricks, mortar (a mix like cement), and "argamasa." Argamasa is a special mix of crushed brick, sand, stone, and lime. The outer walls were made of brick and mortar. The parts added in 1864 used stone and mortar.
Important People Buried Here
Many important Puerto Ricans are buried at the Panteón Nacional.
Román Baldorioty de Castro
The most important person buried here is Don Román Baldorioty de Castro. He was a great patriot, writer, and teacher. He was also an abolitionist, meaning he worked to end slavery. In 1870, he spoke out against slavery in Spain. He helped create many laws that brought freedom. On March 23, 1873, slavery was officially ended in Puerto Rico, thanks to his efforts.
Other Notable Figures
- Don Juan Seix: He started the Ponce Fire Department.
- Don Juan Rondon Martinez: He was the mayor of Ponce and helped create the cemetery. He was also the first person buried there.
- Salvador de Vives: Another important mayor who founded Hacienda Buena Vista, a historic coffee plantation.
- Juan Morel Campos and Manuel G. Tavarez: These were famous composers and musicians. They are best known for their "danzas," which are a type of traditional Puerto Rican folk music.
- Antonio Paoli: A world-famous singer known as the "tenor of kings."
- Casimiro Berenguer: A hero from the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party.
- Serralles Family Members: This family founded the Destileria Serralles, a well-known rum distillery. The famous Castillo Serralles (Serralles Castle) is named after them.
- Roberto Sanchez Vilella: A former governor of Puerto Rico.
- Rafael Cordero Santiago: A former mayor of Ponce, who has a special mausoleum here.
What the Pantheon Looks Like
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The cemetery is shaped like a rectangle. It is about 157 meters long and 84 meters wide. There are also a few smaller rectangular areas attached to it.
At the entrance, there used to be a small mortuary building. From there, small mausoleums, crypts (underground burial chambers), and niches (small spaces for urns or coffins) were lined up. They followed a central path that led to a small chapel in the middle of the cemetery. Tall walls surround the entire cemetery, and they are still standing today.
Most of the mausoleums and crypts were built in the neoclassical style. They used thick walls and strong supports made of brick, stone, and mortar.
After it closed in 1915, the cemetery started to fall apart. By 1984, some tombs were damaged by vandals. Many parts of the cemetery were covered in thick plants. The plaster on the walls had fallen off, showing the bricks and stones underneath.
Around 1990, the city of Ponce decided to save the cemetery. They repaired and rebuilt it, turning it into the National Pantheon. The architect in charge of the 1991 design was Virgilio Monsanto. The city also created a small museum about self-rule in Puerto Rico.
How it is Used Today
The Panteón Nacional is not used for burying newly deceased people. This is because the ground can be unstable. Instead, it is used to move remains after five years have passed. For example, the remains of Madeleine Velasco Alvarado were moved there in 2008. Rafael Cordero Santiago's remains were moved in 2004, and Simon Moret Gallart's in 1998.
In 2014, there was talk about moving the remains of famous singer Cheo Feliciano to the Pantheon. The mayor of Ponce said she would try to make this happen after one year.
See also
In Spanish: Panteón nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro para niños
