Arecibo Square and Catholic Church
Description
Arecibo square and Catholic Church. The square is built above the street level and is enclosed with metal railings. Near one of the entrances to the square, there is a kiosk with a sign, reading: "Refrescos" and "Helados"; which means soda and ice cream. The church is in the background and has a portico with a semicircular arch, pilasters, and pediment. Atop the portico, there is a choir arch, and above it, a clock. At the very top, a quadrangular bell tower with an arch, pilasters, a dome, and a cross can be seen. In front of the square, there is a woman and a man on horseback. Various buildings and houses surrounding the square are also visible.| Origin Name |
CJHO0435
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| Relation |
Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín > Sección X, Serie 3, Colección José H. Orraca
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| Geographical Coverage |
Arecibo
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| Date |
[19--]
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| Descriptive Notes |
Title assigned by the cataloging team.
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| Descripción decolonial |
Arecibo's square and Catholic Church reveals a persistent colonialist discourse post-1898. The elevated square, enclosed and adorned with symbols like the Roman arch and bell tower, encapsulates a fervent Hispanophilia among United States colonial elite. The kiosk advertising “Refrescos” and “Helados”, which means soda and ice cream, becomes a subtle emblem of cultural imposition and capitalist penetration. The central plaza, governed by norms of Spanish urbanization in the Americas under the so-called Laws of the Indies, sustains a colonial legacy as a space for Christian festivities. The imposing Catedral San Felipe Apostól, later reconstructed after the 1918 earthquake, serves as a physical manifestation of religious colonization since 1493. Arecibo's history, transitioning from Spain to United States control, underscores the enduring impact of colonialism on Puerto Rico's urban and cultural identity.
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| Historical Background | |
| Architectural Subject |
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| Decolonial Subject | |
| Rights |
English Rights. (hyperlink)
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| Editor |
Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín
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| Resource Format |
JPEG
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| Resource Type |
Image
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