Capitol of Puerto Rico (San Juan) | state, government

 state, government

Puerta de Tierra
San Juan, Puerto Rico
+1 787-721-6040
www.tucamarapr.org/dnncamara/
www.nps.gov/nr/travel/prvi/pr5.htm

The Puerto Rico Capitol is the seat of the Legislative Assembly of the island, consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives. It was inaugurated on February 11, 1929 and on February 14 the same year the first official legislative session was held on Capitol Hill. Horace Mann Tower was then governor of Puerto Rico, Antonio R. Barceló President of the Senate and Jose Tous Soto President of the Lower House. Before the splendid marble building was ready, the Legislature used the building of the Provincial Government. The construction of the dome was completed in 1961.

The set of the Capitol and its attachments is demarcated to the west by the site of the House of Spain and then on the south side by the road called historically Avenue Ponce de León or more recently Constitution east to the street Reverend Dávila, and this far north which faces the Plaza de San Juan Bautista and the Loma call the Winds through the Avenida Muñoz Rivera and a large public space between it and the north staircase, with a square and gardens, place par excellence for mass demonstrations, which is designated as "Democracy Plaza" and through whose space is the main vehicular access to the Capitol and its annexes. Since the entry by the Plaza de la Democracia is the main access point People of Puerto Rico the Capitol complex and to give it the boost needed for the designation of this public space and to ensure that efforts be made available communication of the Legislature, is designated as the official physical address of the Capitol as "the Capitol; No. 1 parking Democracy "or in English as" The Capitol.; 1 Democracy Square ", inside the zip code of San Juan corresponding according to the map Postal Service

The Capitol had been planned since 1907 by Luis Muñoz Rivera. The project was presented for this purpose on February 7, 1907 in the House of Delegates, when still the Legislature of Puerto Rico was staying where was then the headquarters of the Provincial Council, in the old and uncomfortable building on the corner streets San Francisco and San Jose in the Old San Juan. The approved project contained an initial allocation of $ 300,000 and available to make a contest in which plans and specifications for the construction of the new building be submitted. Muñoz Rivera died on November 15, 1916 without seeing his project come true


In 1919 Antonio Barceló took up the idea. The amount of the sale of 13 solar del Pueblo, based in the Marina district, entered funds for construction. Finally, the first stone was placed on the birthday of Muñoz Rivera, July 17, 1925. A $ 450,000 totaled the value of imported marble for the Capitol, which the architect D. W. Noble suggested using marble in the country. The building was in charge of Engineers Department of the Interior. Although the Puerto Rican architect Rafael Morales Carmoega was the main designer of this magnificent building Revival style, and Albert Nichols associate architect, José Albrizio, Italian sculptor, made the interior decoration. Puerto Rican artists Rafael Rios Rey, Jose Oliver, Jorge Rafael Tufino and Rechani and others, worked in interior design. Mosaics and wall paintings shown as momentous events in the history of Puerto Rico.

According to Dr. Enrique Vivoni Farage, colonial connotations that this architectural style had for the Puerto Rican evidenced in a dispute that was submitted in 1907. An international architectural competition for the design of the Capitol was held and selected an American jury determine the three first prizes of more than 135 entries. The Capitol Commission, composed of local politicians and American, challenged its recommendations. Puerto Rico politicians argued that the design was selected was in the French Renaissance style, specifically designed by Puerto Rican Rafael del Valle Zeno.




Design Rafael del Valle Zeno, 1907.



Although public opinion favored this style, the jury insisted on selecting the neoclassical style to the Capitol. Finally, a compromise was reached and Frank Perkins of New York won the first prize. He submitted a design in a rigid neoclassical style that evoked the Roman Pantheon in the design of its dome and Greek Parthenon on her porch. Although Perkins received a substantial first prize of $ 5,000.00, the Puerto Rican politicians never liked the design and it, was never built.
Winning design created by Frank Perkins, 1907.


In 1920, Adrian C. Finlayson, architect of the Interior Department, argued that the original design of Perkins, a brick and wood building was not structurally sound and proposed that the Division of Public Buildings designed another in reinforced concrete. The new design was based on the style of the Spanish Renaissance. The plans were started by Mr. Finlayson, with the cooperation of officials Francisco Roldán, Pedro A. de Castro and Rafael Carmoega; but with the death of Mr. Finlayson the project was under the direction of Carmoega. The construction of the basement of the building was given by engineer Francisco Pons. In an article published the following year in the journal Architectural Record, Sylvester Baxter, American architecture critic, said:

The design admirable Mr. Finlayson, dignified and beautiful, speaks for itself ... it is a timely change of conventional dome of the capitol buildings in the United States. Moreover, in countries of Hispanic traditions, the dome is usually associated more with secular architecture with church architecture.



Adrian C. Finlayson design. Puerto Rico Ilustrado, May 20, 1922



After the design of the Capitol, other important public buildings in the same style emerged, among them: Central High School in Santurce (1921) and the School of Tropical Medicine in Puerta de Tierra (1924). - (Enrique Vivoni Farage)

In a dig at the foundations of the building were deposited in a chest a copy of the bill introduced in 1907, another law sponsored by Barceló, as it was amended in 1920, copy of the ceremonial day, a copy of each one of the newspapers of the time and a collection of coins minted legal in use. On April 19, 1928 ordered the Auditor shall submit to the Commissioner of the Interior, $ 34.522 staircase construction, etc.

Since 1933 the Supreme Court was located on the main level of the Capitol. The lack of space in the legislative palace, which promoted the design for offices Legislators also forced the Supreme Court to seek another location.

The Capitol is one of the largest structures on the island and covers over an acre of land. This beautiful three-tier structure has 51.814 square feet. The building is made of concrete and steel with a coating of marble from Georgia abroad. The central part of the building is based largely on the Library of Columbia University in New York. A wide marble staircase facing the Ponce de Leon Avenue and gives access to the building on its southern side. Eight Corinthian columns and Doric rise in its two main entrances. Seven doors make affordable imposing inside from the North and South. The columns can be seen in the portals of entry of the north and south facades. The plant is rectangular except for the two porches that project slightly and form two terraces on both sides, with a balustrade adorned with vases. Seven symbolic bows allow access to the interior space and represent the original seven senatorial districts San Juan, Arecibo, Aguadilla, Mayaguez, Ponce, Guayama and Humacao. (Today there are eight).

Building in the center of the roundabout is, extended to the top of the three-story building consisting. For many years, Puerto Ricans did not have a constitution, until the Constitution of the Commonwealth was adopted on 25 July 1952. In its anniversary, July 25, 1956, the urn containing the original documents of the Act signatures of the members of the Constituent Assembly who participated in drafting it opened.

This restored urn was unveiled in the Capitol rotunda on 24 July 1992. Symbolic monument that guarantees important freedoms as a statement that determines that the will of the people is the source of public power and that in court proceedings the accused are entitled to "enjoy the presumption of innocence."

Under the dome there are sixteen columns of pink marble domes decorated with formwork. Among the vaults, there are allegorical mosaics made by an Italian firm, but were designed by Puerto Rican artists such as Rafael Rios Rey, Jose Oliver, Jorge Rechani and Rafael Tufino, as well as a show dedicated to the illustrious women, among many other attractions. On the second floor are two rooms of legislative assemblies with numerous columns that organize the semicircular plant.

On the second floor of the Capitol lie the Chambers of the House of Representatives and the Senate west wing of Puerto Rico West Wing. The offices of the presidents of legislative bodies are contiguous to the Chambers. In southern wing is the Hall of Heroes who had elective positions in parliamentary bodies of the Provincial Council, the Regional Cabinet, the House of Delegates, the Senate of Puerto Rico and the House of
Representatives.


Annexes Capitol, later built by the architectural firm Toro and Ferrer, host's own senators and representatives offices. They were built by agreement of the Joint Legislative Commission to understand that the Capitol was insufficient to accommodate in addition to the legislative chambers, the Election Commission and the Comptroller's Office. Its construction started from 1955 under the supervision of Don Roberto Sánchez Vilella then Secretary of Public Works and who was then Governor of Puerto Rico (1965-1972). Its modern design is non-invasive and respects the historic building his personality and character. However, they are recognized as own interesting examples of architecture.

The Capitol is located in Puerta de Tierra, in the northern part of the island of San Juan; between Avenida Muñoz Rivera and Ponce de Leon Avenue.


Sources:
- Thesaurus historical data, volume 1, Adolfo de Hostos

- On the 16th. Legislative Assembly, 6th. Ordinary Session, House of Representatives, R. Conc. C. 131, 5
October 2011.

-The Majesty of El Capitolio, Tourism Company of Puerto Rico, 2005

-The Recovery Architecture of Spain in Puerto Rico 1900-1950, Enrique Vivoni Farage

-From The Neoclassical to Modernism in the Architecture of Puerto Rico, Enrique Vivoni Farage

-Journal Puerto Rico Ilustrado, issue of May 20, 1922