Capitol of Puerto Rico
| Capitol of Puerto Rico | |
|---|---|
Capitolio de Puerto Rico | |
From top, left to right: Main façade (north) of the Capitol from Plaza San Juan Bautista through Plaza de la Democracia on Luis Muñoz Rivera Avenue; rear façade (south) of the Capitol on Juan Ponce de León Avenue; northwestern views of the Capitol from San Cristóbal fortress; and view of San Juan Islet with Captitol in center (far left) overlooking Old San Juan, San Juan Bay, Puerta de Tierra, and Condado in Santurce | |
Interactive map | |
| Alternative names | El Capitolio Casa de las Leyes Palacio de las Leyes |
| General information | |
| Type | Legislature |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical, Beaux-Arts architecture |
| Location | Avenida Ponce de León and Avenida Muñoz Rivera, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1 Plaza de la Democracia, San Juan, PR, 00901 |
| Coordinates | 18°28′1″N 66°6′21″W / 18.46694°N 66.10583°W |
| Construction started | 1921 |
| Completed | 1929 |
| Inaugurated | February 11, 1929 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 51,814 sq ft (4,813.7 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Rafael Carmoega |
El Capitolio de Puerto Rico | |
| Part of | Puerta de Tierra (ID100002936) |
| NRHP reference No. | 77001555 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 18, 1977 |
| Designated CP | October 15, 2019 |
The Capitol of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Capitolio de Puerto Rico), most commonly known as El Capitolio (The Capitol), is the seat of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, a bicameral legislature composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives, responsible for the legislative branch of the government in the archipelago and island. Located in San Juan Islet immediately outside the city walls of the Old San Juan historic quarter in the capital municipality of San Juan, the ocean and bayfront, Neoclassical Beaux-Arts style, entirely white marble-cladded edifice was built by architect Rafael Carmoega between 1921 and 1929 to resemble the Pantheon in Rome, using as inspiration the Low Memorial Library in New York City. It is part of the U.S. National Register of Historic Places since 1977.
Situated in the center of San Juan Islet in the Puerta de Tierra historic district overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in the north and San Juan Bay in the south from an elevated point, the Capitol is about 1 mile (1.6 km) from both La Fortaleza, seat of the executive branch, in the Old San Juan historic quarter in the western end of the Islet, and the Supreme Court Building, seat of the judicial branch, in the eastern end of the Islet in Puerta de Tierra. The Court and Capitol are directly connected via Luis Muñoz Rivera Avenue in the north and Juan Ponce de León Avenue in the south, both of which are directly linked to La Fortaleza via San Francisco Street in the north and Fortaleza Street in the south.
The Capitol of Puerto Rico has three combined characteristics unique in the world: the ceiling of its dome is decorated with mosaics, its exterior is cladded with marble, and its main façade is next to and faces the Atlantic Ocean.