Plaza las Delicias

Plaza las Delicias is the heart of Ponce and one of the finest town squares in the Caribbean. Flanked by the red-and-black Parque de Bombas on one side and the white Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the other, the plaza is lined with mature trees, decorative tile work, and benches that are perpetually occupied by ponceños going about their day. The Fountain of the Lions at its centre is illuminated at night.

The plaza rewards slow exploration. The city hall building separates the two component plazas; the Armstrong-Poventud residence on the north edge is one of the finest examples of Ponce Creole architecture; and the historic hotel Meliá faces the square from the east. In the late afternoon, as the heat eases and the light goes golden, the square fills with vendors, families, and the municipal band — it functions as a public living room for the entire city.

things to do landmark sight
A story
The plaza takes its name — "The Delights" — from the sensory pleasures of its gardens, which were planted in the 1880s when Ponce was the wealthiest city in Puerto Rico. The Fountain of the Lions at the centre, installed in 1928, is lit at night in changing colours. The plaza is actually two plazas: Plaza Degetau on the south side and Plaza Muñoz Rivera on the north, separated by the city hall, with the cathedral and the Parque de Bombas flanking the whole ensemble. It has been the civic heart of Ponce for over three centuries.