The Monumento al Jíbaro Puertorriqueño (Monument to the Puerto Rican Countryman) is a monument built by the Government of

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

to honor the Puerto Rican

Jíbaro Jivaro or Jibaro, also spelled Hivaro or Hibaro, may refer to: * Jíbaro (Puerto Rico), mountain-dwelling peasants in Puerto Rico * Jíbaro music, a Puerto Rican musical genre * Jivaroan peoples The Jivaroan peoples are the indigenous peoples ...

, located on

Puerto Rico Highway 52 Puerto Rico Highway 52 (PR-52), a major toll road in Puerto Rico, is also known as ''Autopista Luis A. Ferré''. It was formerly called ''Expreso Las Américas''. It runs from PR-1 in southwest Río Piedras and heads south until it intersects wit ...

, km 49.0, Barrio Lapa, Salinas,

. It was sculpted by

Tomás Batista Tomás Batista (born December 7, 1935) is a Puerto Rican sculptor. He is the creator of some of Puerto Rico's most notable monuments. Early years Batista (birth name: Tomás Batista Encarnación) was born and raised in Luquillo, Puerto Rico, a ...

Location

Contrary to popular belief, the monument is located in Barrio Lapa, in the municipality of

Salinas, Puerto Rico Salinas (, ) is a town and municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico located in the southern coast of the island, south of Aibonito and Cayey; southeast of Coamo, east of Santa Isabel; and west of Guayama. Salinas is spread over 5 barr ...

. It is located about 300 feet from Salinas' barrio Las Palmas. The monument is located on

(unsigned Interstate PR1) at kilometer post number "49.0". Colocated with the monument is the northbound PR-52

rest area A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway serv ...

, the only roadway rest area in Puerto Rico. Its location is between PR-52 exit 39 (

PR-1 Puerto Rico Highway 1 (PR-1) is a highway in Puerto Rico that connects the city of Ponce to San Juan. Leaving Ponce, the road heads east and follows a somewhat parallel route along the southern coast of the island heading towards Salinas. At S ...

PR-15 Puerto Rico Highway 15 (PR-15) is a main highway connecting Cayey and Guayama. It takes longer though, than going south to Salinas through PR-52 and taking PR-53 to Guayama, due to it being a rural road. Flamboyan en Carretera 15 en Cayey, Pue ...

–

Cayey Cayey (), officially Cayey de Muesas, is a mountain town and municipality in central Puerto Rico located on the Sierra de Cayey within the Central Mountain range, north of Salinas and Guayama; south of Cidra and Caguas; east of Aibonito and Sal ...

, Aibonito, Cidra, Jajome) and exit 58 ( Albergue Olimpico). The monument is accessible via the southbound lanes of PR-52 only; there is no access from the northbound lanes or the northbound PR-52 rest area. Its location is geographically part of a transition zone between the central mountainous and humid interior zone and the southern dry zone. It is located at coordinates: Coordinates: 18.07165 x -66.217246. University of Florida Library Digital Collection.
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Gallery

El Monumento al Jíbaro Puertorriqueño (por Tomás Batista) en Puerto Rico.jpg, Monument as seen from the ground below Mon al jibaro2.JPG, Tourists at the monument with Las Tetas De Cayey

Location

Gallery

References

Further reading