Arecibo (; ) is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

and municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of

Utuado Utuado () is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central mountainous region of the island known as the '' Cordillera Central''. It is located north of Adjuntas and Ponce; south of Hatillo and Arecibo; east of Lares; and west ...

and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta and Florida. It is about west of

San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to: Places Argentina * San Juan Province, Argentina * San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province * San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province * San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...

, 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

Combined Statistical Area. It is spread over 18 ''barrios'' and Arecibo Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). Its population in 2020 was 87,754. The

Arecibo Observatory The Arecibo Observatory, also known as the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) and formerly known as the Arecibo Ionosphere Observatory, is an observatory in Barrio Esperanza, Arecibo, Puerto Rico owned by the US National Science F ...

, 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 The Diocese of Arecibo is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church and consists of half of the northern portion of the island of Puerto Rico, a commonwealth of the United States. The mother church is the Catedral ...

Etymology and nicknames

The name ''Arecibo'' comes from the Taíno chief Xamaica Arasibo, cacique of the ''yucayeque'' (Taíno settlement) of Abacoa where the Spanish town of Arecibo was settled 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 name of the river which flows through the municipality into the Atlantic Ocean. Some of the city's nicknames are: ''Villa del Capitán Correa'' ("Villa of Captain Correa"), after Captain Antonio de los Reyes Correa, a Spanish soldier who famously and successfully defended the city from a British invasion; ''La Muy Leal'' ("the very loyal ne) after the title often granted to Spanish colonial cities; and ''Diamante del Norte'' (" Diamond of the North") due to the city's location in the northern coast of the island.

History

Smithsonian 1901 map of Puerto Rico caciques

When the Spanish arrived, they found the area occupied by the indigenous Taíno, led by Xamaica

Arasibo Aracibo (born c. 1480s) was a Taíno ''Cacique'' in Puerto Rico who governed the area which is now named after him (now spelled Arecibo). Pre-Columbian era Aracibo governed a tribe whose village was located by the shore of the river "Abacoa" (n ...

Cacique A ''cacique'' (Latin American ; ; feminine form: ''cacica'') was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, the indigenous inhabitants at European contact of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. The term is a Spa ...

(chief) of the ''yucayeque'' (town) 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 (which later became

), 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 , coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg , coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain , image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg , incumbent = Felipe VI , incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...

granted the land (and the Taino living there) to Lope Conchillos. . For some time the island was competed for by other European powers. On August 5, 1702,

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Antonio de los Reyes Correa Antonio de los Reyes Correa (c. 1665 – June 9, 1758), also known as El Capitán Correa, was a Puerto Rican native who served as a Captain in the Spanish Army. Correa and his men defended the town of Arecibo from a British invasion in 1702. E ...

, a member of the

Spanish Army The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land Army) is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies — dating back to the late 15th century. The ...

, successfully defended Arecibo from a British Navy invasion led by rear-admiral

William Whetstone Sir William Whetstone (died 1711) was an officer of the Royal Navy in the later 17th and early eighteenth century. He eventually rose to the rank of rear admiral, having spent his career serving with several distinguished figures. Family and ea ...

. Commanding two British Navy ships and 40 men, Whetstone tried to take control of the city. Correa ambushed his forces, killing 22 British seamen and driving them off. The Spanish defenders suffered only one death and three wounded soldiers. This gave the city its nickname ''The Village of Captain Correa'' (''La Villa del Capitan 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" (very loyal) title. Over time, large part of its territory became separate municipalities. These include Manati, Barceloneta, Florida,

, 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 region. It lies on the Atlantic Ocean; north of

; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta and Florida. The city occupies an area of 127 square miles (330 km²), of which, , is water. The

Rio Grande de Arecibo Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for " river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, ...

is the main river in the municipality, running through the middle of it. South of the municipality, in the

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

region, it forms the

Dos Bocas Lake Dos Bocas Lake is a lake located in the municipalities of Arecibo and Utuado on the island of Puerto Rico. The lake was created from 1937 until it was completed in 1942 with the construction of the Dos Bocas Dam, by the Puerto Rico Electric Power ...

, a primary source of water for Northern Puerto Rico. Several rivers feed the Rio Grande, including the

Tanama River The Tanama () is a river in northern Siberia, Russia. It is one of the main tributaries of the Yenisey.Танама, Great Soviet Encyclopedia in 30 vols. / Ch. ed. A.M. Prokhorov - 3rd ed. - M, 1969-1978. The Tanama is long, and the area of ...

. 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 own mouth. In the 1950s it was modified to pass slightly more south of the city center. Poor maintenance, sediment and pollution has turned the canal once again into a temporary stream. East of the river lies

Caño Tiburones Caño Tiburones is a wetland and nature reserve located in the northern coast of Puerto Rico in the municipalities of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Arecibo and Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, Barceloneta. This is one of the largest wetlands in Puerto Rico, cov ...

, an important marshland area that provides habitat for many kinds of birds and wildlife. Arecibo has two forest reserves. Cambalache State Forest is located along the Barceloneta municipal limits, while

Rio Abajo State Forest Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

is located between Arecibo and

. Caves include Cueva Ventana, which overlooks the valley formed by the Rio Grande de Arecibo, and

Cueva del Indio Cueva del Indio may refer to: * Cueva del Indio (Las Piedras), a cave located in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico * Cueva del Indio (Arecibo), a cave located in Arecibo, Puerto Rico See also * Cueva de Los Indios Cueva de Los Indios, also known as the C ...

(Cave of the Indian), 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 Barrios is a Spanish surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Agustín Barrios (1885–1944), Paraguayan guitarist and composer *Ángel Barrios (1882–1964), Spanish guitarist and composer *Arturo Barrios (born 1962), Mexican athlet ...

. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as , near the center of the municipality. # Arecibo barrio-pueblo including Jareales subbarrio #

Arenalejos Arenalejos is a barrio in the municipality of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 3,064. Arenalejos is near the center of Arecibo, west of Miraflores. History Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American ...

# Arrozal #

Cambalache Cambalache (Southern Cone Spanish for bazaar or "junkshop") is an Argentine slang-language tango song written in 1934 by Enrique Santos Discépolo for the movie ''The Soul of the Accordion'', released the following year.Pujol SEnrique Santos Di ...

# Carreras #

Domingo Ruíz Domingo may refer to: People *Domingo (name), a Spanish name and list of people with that name *Domingo (producer) (born 1970), American hip-hop producer *Saint Dominic (1170–1221), Castilian Catholic priest, founder of the Friars popularly cal ...

# Dominguito # Esperanza # Factor # Garrochales # Hato Abajo #

Hato Arriba Hato or HATO may refer to: Places * Hato International Airport, Willemstad, Curaçao * Hato, Curaçao, a village and former plantation in Curaçao * Hato, Santander, a town in Santander Department, Colombia * Hato, San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, a barr ...

# Hato Viejo # Islote # Miraflores #

Río Arriba Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

Sabana Hoyos Sabana Hoyos is a barrio in the municipality of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 10,745. Sabana Hoyos is the largest barrio of Puerto Rico. History Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War und ...

# Santana # Tanamá

Sectors

Barrios (which for US census purposes, are like minor civil divisions) in turn are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores (''sectors'' in English). The types of ''sectores'' may vary, from normally ''sector'' to ''urbanización'' to ''reparto'' to ''barriada'' to ''residencial'', among others.

Special Communities

(Special Communities of 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: and .

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". (Tropical Monsoon Climate).

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

The Arecibo Harbor is managed by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. Catedral de Arecibo 2

Arecibo is one of the oldest

colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 a ...

towns in Puerto Rico (1616). 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. Arecibo town hall

The

City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

, 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 Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance peoples, Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of National and regional identity in Spain, national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex Hist ...

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

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 Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

directors who have filmed there; most recently '' GoldenEye'' and '' Contact''. The radio telescope was used in 1974 to send the

Arecibo message The Arecibo message is an interstellar radio message carrying basic information about humanity and Earth that was sent to the globular cluster Messier 13 in 1974. It was meant as a demonstration of human technological achievement, rather than a ...

to space. The telescope 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 aerial, PR

is an archeological site where Taíno drawings can be found. The "

Birth of the New World The ''Birth of the New World'' ( es, Nacimiento del Nuevo Mundo, colloquially known as ''La Estatua de Colón'' or literally ''Columbus' Statue'') is a bronze sculpture located on the Atlantic coastline of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. When completed ...

" 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 Cambalache State Forest and Reserve (Spanish: ''Bosque estatal de Cambalache'', also referred to as ''Parque nacional de Cambalache'') is a nature reserve and one of the 20 state forests in the territory of Puerto Rico. The Cambalache State Fore ...

which is a reservoir located between the municipalities of Arecibo and

. * Paseo Victor Rojas (Victor Rojas Walk) also known as or simply , was built in 1881 where the Fort San Miguel's ruins once were * Manuel "Petaca" Iguina Coliseum which is home of the

Arecibo Captains The Capitanes de Arecibo are a Puerto Rican professional basketball team based in Arecibo that competes in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) league. In 2010, the team also had the distinction to play in the Premier Basketball League (PBL) u ...

basketball team. Museo de Arte e Historia de Arecibo, Puerto Rico - panoramio

* 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. Beach in Arecibo is considered a dangerous beach. To stimulate local tourism during the

COVID-19 pandemic in Puerto Rico The COVID-19 pandemic in Puerto Rico is an ongoing viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a novel infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is part of the ongoing COVID-19 pand ...

, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company launched the ''Voy Turistiendo'' (I'm Touring) campaign in 2021. The campaign featured a passport book with a page for each municipality. The Arecibo passport page lists , , and the Arecibo Light House and Historical Park, as places of interest.

Culture

Festivals and events

Arecibo celebrates its patron saint festival in May. The is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment. Other festivals and events celebrated in Arecibo include: * Bicycle competition – January * (Parachuting festival) – February * Arecibo Carnival – February * Folklore Festival – July * Beach festival – July * Artisan Fair – September * Cetí Festival – November * Centennial of the

Puerto Rican flag The flag of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Bandera de Puerto Rico) represents and symbolizes Puerto Rico and its people. The origins of the current flag of Puerto Rico, adopted by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1952, can be traced to 1868, wh ...

– December

Sports

Arecibo has two professional sports franchises, the Lobos de Arecibo in the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (a.k.a. Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente or LBPRC), and the Capitanes de Arecibo in the

National Superior Basketball League The Baloncesto Superior Nacional, abbreviated as BSN, is the first-tier-level professional men's basketball league in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1929 and is organized by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation. The Baloncesto Superior Nacio ...

(Baloncesto Superior Nacional or BSN).

Baseball

The Lobos won the 1983 then-known Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico (LBPPR) national baseball championship and the 1983 Caribbean World Series, the only time the franchise won both titles. At that time, they had MLB prospect Dickie Thon, then also of the

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...

, on their roster. Thon then suffered a life-threatening and career-affecting eye injury during an Astros game in 1984. The Lobos won a championship again in 1996.

Basketball

The Capitanes won their first ever BSN national championship in 1959. After that, the Capitanes have not had much luck in their basketball tournaments for the next few decades. However, that would begin to change in 2002, as they started to turn things around, by reaching the BSN semifinals; yet they lost the series to the Vaqueros de Bayamón by losing four straight games, after having a 3–0 series lead, thus failing their chances to make into the finals. In 2005, the Capitanes won the BSN national championship by defeating the Vaqueros de Bayamón in a four-game sweep. This was the first championship in 46 years. In 2007 they got to the finals, losing in the overtime on the seventh game of the series against the Cangrejeros de Santurce. In 2008 Arecibo won their third BSN national championship, this time against the Gigantes de Carolina. In 2010, they won their fourth BSN national title in six seasons, this time against the Vaqueros de Bayamón.

Radio stations

* WCMN-FM – Hot 102 107.3 FM (re-transmitter) * WCMN-AM – NotiUno 1280 AM * WNIK-FM – Super K 106 FM * WNIK-AM – Radio Unica * WMIA-AM – MIA Radio Arecibo 1070 AM

Economy

20180315-OC-PJK-0742 TONED (40991530032)

Arecibo's economy is diverse with pharmaceuticals, agriculture and fishing. Vaqueria Ceiba Del Mar is located in Arecibo and is one of the largest on the island of Puerto Rico. They also have operations in Hatillo. After Hurricane Maria, the farm had to consolidate their three operations into one.

Business

Arecibo's main shopping mall is Plaza del Atlantico as well as the one situated in the neighboring town of Hatillo, Plaza del Norte. In 2021, Hilton was constructing a hotel in Arecibo.

Industrial

Arecibo is home to Fortune 500 corporations such as Merck, General Electric. Other important companies are Thermo King Corporation, Eaton, Los Cidrines, Expressway Eco Printing, Arecibo Tropical Flag and ABB.

Demographics

According to the 2010 Census the municipality of Arecibo is 99% Hispanic of which 78% identifies as white (of European descent), 4.6% black ( Afro-Puerto Rican descent), and 1.2% with two or more races. The majority of the population is mostly of Spanish descent, but there has been intermarriage with more recent groups from other parts of Europe, with some having Middle Eastern,

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, Italian, American or of other descent. People who are multi-racial may also have ancestors more than one of the European groups, and among more than one African nation as well. Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and became a territory of the United States. In 1899, the United States conducted its first census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Arecibo was 36,910.

Government

All municipalities in Puerto Rico are administered by a mayor, elected every four years. The current mayor of Arecibo is Carlos (Tito) Ramírez Irizarri, of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). He was elected at the 2020 general elections. The city belongs to the

Puerto Rico Senatorial district III Puerto Rico Senatorial District III, also known as the Senatorial District of Arecibo, is one of the eight senatorial districts of Puerto Rico. It is currently represented by José Pérez Rosa and Angel Martínez (both from the New Progressive ...

, which is represented by two Senators. In

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

José Pérez Rosa José O. Pérez Rosa, also known as "Joito", is a Puerto Rican politician from the New Progressive Party (PNP). Pérez was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012. In 2020, Pérez ran again. Early years and studies José Pérez Rosa was b ...

( PNP) and Angel Martínez ( PNP) were elected as District Senators, and they were re-elected in

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

. In

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

Elizabeth Rosa Vélez ( PPD) and Rubén Soto Rivera ( PPD) were elected as District Senators and are the current Senators of this Senatorial district.

Symbols

The has an official flag and coat of arms. The flag and coat of arms were adopted in 1968 with Resolution 12 passed by the government of Arecibo.

Flag

The flag of Arecibo derives its composition and colors from the coat of arms of the city. It is divided vertically in two equal parts. The left side is blue having a belt that stands for "Captain Correa", a local military hero from Spanish times. The right side is made up of blue and yellow diamonds alternating in a checkerboard pattern referring to the coat of arms of Felipe de Beaumont y Navarra, governor of Puerto Rico (1614–1620) and founder of the city. The crown represents The Cacique (chieftain) Arasibo (Fransico Jamaica Arasibo). The turtles represent the ancientness of the city (the third city of Puerto Rico) also because of the indigenous people of the region and that the hunting of turtles was a source of wealth. The towers were a form to describe the population of a settlement. Three towers represent a municipality, four towers represent a village, and five towers represent a city.

Coat of arms

The shield is divided by diagonal lines in golden and blue rhombuses with a blue stripe in the superior part, in which resides an opened five-point crown and which is adorned with drawings characterizing the art of the Taínos. The people of Arecibo also honored Captain

by including a gold colored belt in their coat of arms with the words "Muy Leal", which means "Very Faithful", in representation of Correa. This combination of symbols represents the Indian

(Chieftain) from whom the population's name derives, the governor that erected the town and the hero Captain Correa who defended the town from a British invasion.

Nicknames

Arecibo is known as ''"La Villa del Capitán Correa"'' (Captain Correa's Villa) after the Puerto Rican hero

of the Spanish Army, who drove off a British Navy invasion by ambushing forces led by rear-admiral

. Arecibo is also known as ''"El Diamante Del Norte"'' (The Diamond of the North).

Transportation

Puente Victor Rojas, Arecibo, Puerto Rico - panoramio

Arecibo has a small noncommercial airport, named Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport, which currently has no commercial airline flights. PR-22 (unsigned Interstate PR-2) passes through the city, but bypasses downtown. Downtown can be accessed via PR-2, PR-10 and

PR-129 PR-129 is a north–south (actually diagonal) highway in North-Central Puerto Rico, connecting the town of Lares with Arecibo. It crosses the northern karst country of the island. When traveling from the northern coast of Puerto Rico, PR-129 ...

. There are 51 bridges in Arecibo. The collapsed during Hurricane Georges in 1998 but was rebuilt. Despite it being an important bridge leading into the urban downtown center of Arecibo, it was closed again in early 2017 due to damage caused by the sea and reopened in 2021 after repairs.

Education

High school in Arecibo, Puerto Rico (1920) - photograph - page 147

The first school in Arecibo was established on October 12, 1805. Today, Arecibo is home to several public and private schools distributed through its barrios. Public education is handled by the State Department of Education. There are also several colleges and universities located in the city including: * University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo * Interamerican University of Puerto Rico * Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico * National University College It also has several other technical institutions like ICPR Junior College.

Notable people

The following is a list of notable people from Arecibo: *

– military hero *

– Taino Cacique * Cayetano Coll y Cuchí – the first President of Puerto Rico House of Representatives * Cayetano Coll y Toste – historian * Delma S. Arrigoitia – author *

Edna Coll Edna Coll Pujals (July 24, 1906 – November 19, 2002) was a Puerto Rican educator and author. She was president of the Society of Puerto Rican Authors in San Juan. Coll was also the founder of the Academy of Fine Arts in Puerto Rico."Figuras H ...

– educator * Francisco Gonzalo Marín – poet who fought for Cuba's independence * Isabel Cuchí Coll – journalist *

José Coll y Cuchí José Coll y Cuchí (January 12, 1877 – July 2, 1960) was a lawyer, writer and the founder of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party. He was a member of a Puerto Rican family of politicians, educators and writers.See: "Notable family members" sect ...

– politician; founder of Puerto Rican Nationalist Party * Luisa Capetillo – union leader/civil rights activist * Manuel Zeno Gandía – author *

María Cadilla Dr. María Cadilla Colón de Martínez (December 21, 1884 – August 23, 1951) was an American writer, educator, women's rights activist and one of the first women in Puerto Rico to earn a doctoral degree. Early years Cadilla lived with her par ...

– educator *

Melba Acosta Melba Acosta Febo is a corporate executive, attorney, and certified public accountant. She is a former president of the Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico and a former chief public finance officer of Puerto Rico. Acosta also served as th ...

– Secretary of Treasury of PR * Myrta Silva – singer * René Marqués – playwright * Iann Dior – Rapper and singer

Gallery

Leones del Fuerte, Plaza Colon, Arecibo, Puerto Rico - panoramio.jpg, Lion in Plaza Colón Playa La Poza del Obispo - Arecibo, Puerto Rico - panoramio (1).jpg, in Arecibo Plaza Colon, Arecibo, Puerto Rico - panoramio.jpg, Buildings in Plaza Colon in Arecibo downtown () Arecibo beach.jpg, A beach in Arecibo 20180315-OC-PJK-0073 TONED (26162694337).jpg, Cow from in Arecibo Faro de Punta los Morrillos.jpg, lighthouse Edificio Oliver.jpg,

Edificio Oliver Edificio Oliver in Arecibo, Puerto Rico was built in 1914. The building houses government offices for the municipality of Arecibo. A Beaux Arts-style building, it was the first building made of reinforced concrete Reinforced concrete (RC), ...

References

External links

Puerto Rico Government Directory
{{Authority control Municipalities of Puerto Rico San Juan–Caguas–Guaynabo metropolitan area Populated places established in 1556 1556 establishments in the Spanish West Indies 16th century in Puerto Rico