| Residencia Ermelindo Salazar | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Residencia Ermelindo Salazar, in BarrioTercero, Ponce, Puerto Rico | |
 Interactive map of Residencia Ermelindo Salazar | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Ponce Creole |
| Location | 70 Cristina Street,Ponce,Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates | 18°00′43.092″N66°36′45.3234″W / 18.01197000°N 66.612589833°W /18.01197000; -66.612589833 |
| Completed | 1870 |
| Client | Ermelindo Salazar |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Juan Bertoli Calderoni |
| Engineer | Juan Bertoli Calderoni |
Residencia Ermelindo Salazar (Ermelindo Salazar Home) is a historic house inPonce, Puerto Rico. It was built in 1870 as the home ofErmelindo Salazar, a prominent citizen and businessman in the city as well as its mayor in 1880. It is located at 70 Cristina street in thePonce Historic Zone, in BarrioTercero,Ponce, Puerto Rico.[1] Today the house serves as the headquarters of theCentro Cultural de Ponce Carmen Solá de Pereira, the cultural center of the city of Ponce, where it is used for educational and cultural activities as well as for art exhibits.[2]
In the 1980s the structure was purchased by theInstitute of Puerto Rican Culture as the first location of theMuseum of Puerto Rican Music. Since 1992 it serves as home to the Centro Cultural de Ponce,[1] "actively promoting the artistic development on [Ponce]’s rich educational and intellectual environment",[3] including theNoches de Galería, "where renowned as well as promising painters,artisans and sculptors exhibit their works and showcase their talent."[3][4]
The structure, located at 18° 0' 44.244" N, 66° 36' 39.9528" W (18.01229000°N 66.611098000°W),[5] was designed in 1870 by the Corsican architectJuan Bertoli Calderoni. Its style incorporates elements ofColonial Spanish andPonce Creole architecture. Its courtyard is surrounded by a gallery.[1] The building was originally built as the former home ofErmelindo Salazar, a prominent landowner, merchant, banker, as well as mayor of Ponce in 1880.[1][3] In 1959 the building became the first home of theMuseo de Arte de Ponce.[3][5] Museo de Arte de Ponce moved to its current facility on Avenida Las Americas in 1965, vacating the structure at 70 Cristina Street. In 1990, theInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña restored the structure to house the first headquarters of theMuseo de la Música Puertorriqueña.[6][7]
The house has the distinction of being the first one in the city to be served by a private telephone line.[1] The line exclusively communicated the owners’ family residence with their commercial offices at thePonce port. This was 17 years before the service finally arrived to the rest of the city.[3]
