La Placita de Santurce
La Placita is a historic district and neighborhood of Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico, located in the former area of Santurce's old market square (Spanish: Plaza del mercado de Santurce) in Campo Alegre. La Placita today is a popular dining and nightlife destination in San Juan, while still functioning as a produce and food market during the day.[1]
History
[edit]The market square was established in 1910 when the area was selected by Puerto Rico's government to build a marketplace. The marketplace building had two levels, the first one for kiosks, food and produce stalls and other service businesses, while the second level had the butcher and the meat market. The building originally also had business spaces, including medical offices. The market square building has been renovated and modified on numerous occasions throughout the 20th century, and at some point the second level was demolished to increase the area of the main marketplace.[2] The marketplace lost its importance in the later second half of the 20th century which left the area in various stages of disrepair. The building and the neighborhood were revitalized in the 1990s and 2000s when numerous restaurant and entertainment businesses opened. The area is now one of the liveliest social districts in San Juan and it is famous for its nightlife and gastronomy with its numerous restaurants, cafés, bars and dance clubs.[3][4][5]
During the day La Placita de Santurce is a farmer's market.[5] It is located about ten minutes walking distance from the Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art.[6]
Gallery
[edit]-
La Placita marketplace building where produce and food are still sold during daytime -
Produce stall in La Placita with typical Puerto Rican fruit and vegetables -
"La Fruta Favorita" avocado sculpture by Annex Burgos -
Mural in La Placita. The area is also known for its street art. -
One of the numerous bars and entertainment businesses in the area -
Neighborhood at night -
Crowds in the neighborhood at night
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See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "La Placita de Santurce". Discover Puerto Rico. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
- ^ "Plaza Del Mercado - Placita Santurce | Plaza del Mercado Santurce | Actividades en La Placita | La Placita 19 | Entretenimiento en San Juan | Night Living in San Juan | Restaurantes en La Placita". placitasanturce.com. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
- ^ "La Placita de Santurce (San Juan) - 2021 All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)". Tripadvisor. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
- ^ Walzer, Robert P. (April 21, 2021). "A Long-Awaited Return Trip to Puerto Rico". WSJ. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
- ^ a b Álvarez, Yennifer (February 14, 2022). "A Guide to San Juan's Bars". The Weekly Journal. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
- ^ "The best places to see art in San Juan". Lonely Planet. February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2022.