Mayagüez

Mayagüez is the third city of Puerto Rico and the centre of the west, rebuilt after an earthquake in 1918, with a large plaza around a statue of Columbus, a theatre, a cathedral and the island's only zoo. It is a university town and the agricultural research station here holds a substantial tropical plant collection. The city is also known nationally for brazo gitano, a rolled sponge cake with filling, made by a bakery here since 1963.

Background

On September 18, 1760, a group headed by Juan de Silva, Juan de Aponte and the brothers Faustino and Lorenzo Martínez de Matos founded the town on a hill set about one kilometer back from Mayagüez Bay and the mouth of the Yagüez River. Its first name was Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Mayagüez, and the area once formed part of two Taíno chiefdoms, Yaguex and Yagüeca. On April 6, 1894 the Spanish Crown gave it the title Excelente Ciudad de Mayagüez. Nicknames include La Sultana del Oeste, the City of Pure Waters and Mango City. The municipality, which counts Isla de Mona e Islote Monito among its 21 barrios, had 73,077 people in 2020.

Source: Wikipedia, "Mayagüez, Puerto Rico"

What to look for

• The plaza - a large square with the cathedral, theatre and Columbus statue.
• The zoo - the island's only zoo, on the edge of the city.
• The brazo gitano - rolled sponge cake, a city speciality since the 1960s.
• The agricultural station - a tropical plant collection dating from 1901.

When to go

December to April is the drier season and the most comfortable. The city's patron festival is in the spring. Summer is hot and humid.

Good to know

Parts of the centre are run down and vacancy is visible. The zoo has been closed for extended periods and its status should be checked. Traffic and parking in the centre are difficult.

Nearby

Hormigueros and the basilica are southeast, and Rincón is north.

Key facts