The Serrallés Mansion was built in 1926 into the south side of "El Vigia," one of the rolling foothills north of Ponce's center, for Eugenio Serrallés, a leader in the local sugar cane industry. The house, designed by architect Pedro Adolfo de Castro, represents one of the earliest examples of Spanish Moroccan architecture in Puerto Rico. The four-story house has a Y-shaped plan and a large central patio area. The third floor contains bedrooms, and the fourth floor, which mainly is the roof, contains tiled floor and covered areas used for entertaining. The Ponce Municipal Government bought the house in 1986 and opened as a museum in 1991.

Castillo de Serrallés is located on Bertoly St., 17 Cerro, on the South side of "El Vigia," the name given to one of the foothills north of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The house is now the Museum of Sugar and Rum, open 9:30am to 5:00pm Tuesday-Thursday and 9:30am to 5:30pm Friday-Sunday; closed holidays. There is a fee for admission. Call 787- 259-1774 or visit the museum's website (in Spanish) for further information.

Information and photos courtesy of the National Register for Historic Places Puerto Rico Travel Itinerary, a subsidiary of the National Park Service.

Credits and Sources:

Nancy Cox, Undergraduate Student, University of West Florida