Arecibo, Puerto Rico


Arecibo is a city and municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta and Florida. It is about west of San Juan, the capital city. Arecibo is the largest municipality in Puerto Rico by area, and it is the core city of the Arecibo Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the greater San Juan–Bayamón, PR Combined Statistical Area. It is spread over 18 barrios and Arecibo Pueblo. Its population in 2020 was 87,754.
The Arecibo Observatory, which housed the Arecibo Telescope, the world's largest radio telescope until July 2016, is located in the municipality. The Arecibo telescope collapsed on December 1, 2020. Arecibo is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arecibo.

Etymology and nicknames

The name Arecibo comes from Arasibo, the Taíno cacique of the yucayeque "settlement" of Abacoa, where the Spanish town of Arecibo was established in 1556. The word Arasibo itself most likely comes from the Taíno words ara, possibly meaning or related to "people", and siba, most likely meaning "rock" or "stone". This name also lends itself to the river which flows through the municipality into the Atlantic Ocean.
Some of the city's nicknames are Villa del Capitán Correa, after Antonio de los Reyes Correa, a Spanish soldier who famously and successfully defended the city from a British invasion; La Muy Leal, after a title often granted to Spanish colonial cities; and Diamante del Norte, due to the city's location on the northern coast of the island.

History

When the Spanish arrived, they found the area occupied by the indigenous Taíno, led by Xamaica Arasibo, Cacique of the yucayeque then named Abacoa. Spanish colonists settled Arecibo in 1556, which they named for the cacique. It was their fourth settlement on the island, after Caparra, San German, and Coamo. Arecibo was officially founded as a town by the Spanish crown on May 1, 1616, under the governorship of Captain Felipe de Beaumont y Navarra, when the King of Spain granted the land to Lope Conchillos.
For some time the island was competed for by other European powers. On August 5, 1702, Captain Antonio de los Reyes Correa, commanding 30 militiamen, successfully defended Arecibo from an attack by two Royal Navy warships under William Whetstone. Whetstone's ships landed 40 marines and sailors on two rowboats, but Correa's troops ambushed the invaders, killing 22 and forcing the remainder to retreat. Spanish cannon fire also killed 8 men onboard Whetstone's ships. The Spanish defenders suffered one killed and three wounded, including Correa. This gave the city its nickname "The Village of Captain Correa".
In 1778, Arecibo, by royal decree, was awarded the "Villa" status, though it was not integrated as such until 1802. In 1850 it was awarded the "Muy Leal" title. Over time, large part of its territory became separate municipalities. These include Manati, Barceloneta, Florida, Utuado, Jayuya, Hatillo, Camuy, Quebradillas and Isabela. In 1982, it was promoted to city status, though it continued to be known by its previous nickname.
Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017, triggered extensive flooding, and damage to infrastructure with over 3,000 people losing their homes. Two hospitals were damaged and the hurricane caused deaths as well.

Geography

Arecibo is located in the Northern Coastal Plain region of Puerto Rico, extending inland into the Northern Karst Belt. It lies on the Atlantic Ocean north of Utuado, east of Hatillo, and west of Barceloneta and Florida. The city occupies an area of 127 square miles, of which,, is water.
The Río Grande de Arecibo is the main river in the municipality, running through the middle of it. South of the municipality, in the karst region, it forms the Dos Bocas Lake, a primary source of water for northern Puerto Rico. Several rivers feed the Río Grande, including the Tanamá River. Caño Santiago is an artificial canal created in the 19th century by partially diverting the Tanama River's waters tobarrios a small temporary stream, to supply water to poor neighborhoods in Arecibo, discharging into the Arecibo River near its mouth. In the 1950s it was modified to pass slightly more south of the city center. Poor maintenance, sediment and pollution has again turned the canal into a temporary stream. East of the river lies Caño Tiburones, a vital marshland area providing habitat for many birds and wildlife.
Arecibo has two forest reserves. Cambalache Forest Reserve is located along Barceloneta's municipal limits while Río Abajo State Forest is located between Arecibo and Utuado. Caves include Cueva Ventana, which overlooks the valley formed by the Rio Grande de Arecibo, and Cueva del Indio, where paintings made by prehistoric indigenous peoples have been seen.
Environmental impact studies have been done to consider remedies for flooding that often occurs in Arecibo.

Barrios

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Arecibo is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as "el pueblo", near the center of the municipality.
  1. Arecibo barrio-pueblo including Jareales subbarrio
  2. Arenalejos
  3. Arrozal
  4. Cambalache
  5. Carreras
  6. Domingo Ruíz
  7. Dominguito
  8. Esperanza
  9. Factor
  10. Garrochales
  11. Hato Abajo
  12. Hato Arriba
  13. Hato Viejo
  14. Islote
  15. Miraflores
  16. Río Arriba
  17. Sabana Hoyos
  18. Santana
  19. Tanamá

    Sectors

Barrios in turn are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores. The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.

Special Communities

Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing a certain amount of social exclusion. A map shows these communities occur in nearly every municipality of the commonwealth. Of the 742 places that were on the list in 2014, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods were in Arecibo:
Animas – Factor 1, Sector Los Muertos in Arrozal, Sector El Jobo in Rio Arriba, Sector El Valle in Rio Arriba, Buenos Aires, Calichoza, Canta Gallo, Carreras, Cruz Roja, El Cerro – Factor 1, Abra San Francisco, El Vigía, Esperanza, La Planta, Palo Blanco, and Sector Carolina in Sabana Hoyos.

Climate

Tropical monsoon climate, occasionally also known as a tropical wet climate or tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate in climate classification, is a relatively rare type of climate. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Am"..

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

The Arecibo Harbor is managed by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority.
Arecibo is one of the oldest colonial towns in Puerto Rico. Among its historic buildings is the Cathedral of Saint Philip the Apostle, built beginning in the late 18th century. The first church, built in the middle of the 17th century, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1787. Construction of its replacement began soon after, although it was not completed until 1846. Four days after its dedication, another earthquake seriously damaged it. Repairs were not completed until 1882. The 1918 earthquake damaged the vault so badly that it was replaced by a flat concrete roof; a vaulted ceiling of composition board was placed inside.
The cathedral of Arecibo is Puerto Rico's second-largest church after the Cathedral of San Juan. The plan is rectangular with three naves; the side naves are cut short to allow large flanking chapels, which occupy almost half the length of the church. The apse is semicircular, and has an unusual half-dome covering it. The facade is a triangular composition of three stages. The top stage, a short central tower, is a later addition, according to local architects and historians. Neoclassic ornamentation is used in an academic fashion on the lowest stage, but the other two show a less traditional use of bands and pilasters. The Renaissance-style windows are uncommon in Puerto Rican churches, but the central tower over the entrance is a common motif used throughout the island.
The City Hall, built in 1866, served as jail to revolutionaries of El Grito de Lares in 1868. In the 1918 earthquake, the frontal section of the building was destroyed. When repairs were made, a tower and clock were added to the building. In 1978, the building was restored to its original form.
The City Hall of Arecibo is typical of these regional seats of government. It is relatively modest in size, of stuccoed masonry, with an academically correct composition, having a pedimented center pavilion which projects slightly. The lower story is rusticated, with arched openings; the three doorways in the center giving the effect of a loggia. The upper windows all have segmental pediments and balconies; the central trio share one long balcony. Architectural detailing is modest, but the building is graceful and charming.
In 1898 the Spaniards built the Punta Los Morrillos Lighthouse. It was automated in 1964 and is still in use. A small park, Arecibo Lighthouse and Historical Park, has been established around it.
The Arecibo Observatory was the home of Arecibo Telescope, once the largest single-aperture radio telescope ever constructed and one of the world's most powerful radar-radio telescopes. The observatory's purpose was to support scientific studies. It attracted several Hollywood directors who have filmed there; most recently GoldenEye and Contact. The radio telescope was used in 1974 to send the Arecibo message to space. The already damaged telescope totally collapsed in 2020.
Casa Ulanga was originally a residence built by Spanish immigrant Francisco Ulanga, and has served multiple uses over the years. It was used as a bank, store, city hall of Arecibo, hospital, jail, tribunal, and is now operated as the Arecibo Cultural Center.
Cueva del Indio is an archeological site where Taíno drawings can be found.
The "Birth of the New World" is a statue depicting Christopher Columbus and is located in Islote, Arecibo.. The statue is the work of Russian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli, and it is the tallest statue in the Americas.
Other places of interest in Arecibo include:
  • The Cambalache Forest Reserve
  • Dos Bocas Lake which is a reservoir located between the municipalities of Arecibo and Utuado.
  • Paseo Victor Rojas also known as Paseo de Damas or simply El Fuerte, was built in 1881 where the Fort San Miguel's ruins once were
  • Manuel "Petaca" Iguina Coliseum which is home of the Arecibo Captains basketball team.
  • Museum of Art and History of Arecibo which has art from local artists and shows the city's history
Arecibo beaches include Los Morillos, Los Negritos, Poza del Obispo, and Las Tunas. Pozo del Obispo Beach in Arecibo is considered a dangerous beach.
To stimulate local tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company launched the Voy Turistiendo campaign in 2021. The campaign featured a passport book with a page for each municipality. The Voy Turisteando Arecibo passport page lists Cueva Ventana, Museo Casa Trina Padilla de Sanz, and the Arecibo Light House and Historical Park, as places of interest.