page_title: Puente de los Leones
section_title: Features
hierarchical_section_title: Puente de los Leones / Features
caption_attribution_description: English: Leon Sabio, Puente de los Leones, Barrio Tercero, Ponce, Puerto Rico, mirando hacia el este (IMG 3314)
context_page_description: The Puente de los Leones is a historic bridge in Ponce, Puerto Rico, joining Barrio Tercero to Barrio San Antón and Barrio Machuelo Abajo. It is also the city's best known bridge. The bridge is at the western terminus of Bulevar Miguel Pou, the main gateway to the Ponce Historic Zone. The Art Deco bridge carries four lanes of vehicular traffic from the two-way Miguel Pou Boulevard. It crosses Río Portugués connecting Barrio Tercero to the west with Barrios Machuelo Abajo and San Anton to the east. It is located 0.5 km east of Plaza Las Delicias.
context_section_description: It features two brass lions guarding the entrance to the city: the older lion represents wisdom and experience, while the younger one stands for the glorious future. The two lions are the work of Spanish sculptor Victor Ochoa. Both lions are located on the western end of the bridge, on 20 feet high pedestals. Leon Joven (Young lion) in located on the north side of the bridge and Leon Sabio (Wise Lion) is located on the southern side of the bridge.
  A metal plaque at the foot of the pedestal of the Leon Joven reads (Note: English translation is not part of the inscription, and it is given here to the right):
  - EL LEON JOVEN -
  Es simbolo de la esperanza, del renacer de nuestra valiosa herencia, representa el futuro.
  Este joven leon se lanza con brios a retomar la gloria que Ponce nunca debio perder.
  Su estirpe le permite heredar el orgullo, aprender del Sabio Leon y lanzarse a reconstruir la ciudad en todos los ordenes.
  El Ponceño, como este joven leon, toma la ciudad en sus manos y, con la frente en alto y la mirada llena de dignidad, no se deja domar.
  El Leon Joven, como el ponceño, mira hacia el futuro alagador, limpio, pujante, lleno de hidalguia y fiel a sus raices, pero incansable en su lucha para que la ciudad nunca vuelva a caer.
  - Hon. Rafael Cordero Santiago, Alcalde, 1992 -
  - THE YOUNG LION -
  Is a symbol of the hope, the rebirth of our valuable heritage, represents the future.
  This young lion jumps with zest to retake the glory that Ponce should had never lost.
  Its lineage allows him to inherit the pride, learn from the Wise Lion and hurl out to rebuild the city in all of its angles.
  The Poncean, like this young lion, takes the city on his hands and, with his head up high and with eyes full of dignity, he is not tamed.
  The Young Lion, like the Poncean, looks forward to the flattering  future, clean, vigorous, full of nobility, and true to his roots, but tireless in his struggle so the city will never fall again.
  - Hon. Rafael Cordero Santiago, Mayor, 1992 -
  There is, likewise, a plaque at the foot of the pedestal for the Leon Sabio. It reads,
  - EL LEON SABIO -
  Este leon maduro representa el antiguo esplendor de la ciudad de Ponce.
  La Señorial ciudad de Ponce fue reconocida en y fuera de Puerto Rico por su desarrollo economico, por su esplendor en la arts, la arquitectura, la medicina, el deporte, por ser el baluarte de la agricultura y del comercio de la Isla.
  Su pujanza fue detendia; sin embargo, el ponceño tenia dentro de si, los conocimientos y el reto de la reconquista.
  Este Leon Sabio fue custodio de la esperanza y es representativo de todos los ponceños que ayudaron a forja esta ciudad a lo largo de estos trescientos años.
  - Hon. Rafael Cordero Santiago, Alcalde, 1992 -
  - THE WISE LION -
  This mature lion represents the former splendor of the city of Ponce.
  The Stately City of Ponce was recognized in and out of Puerto Rico for its financial development, its splendor in the arts, architecture, medicine, sports, for being the bastion of agriculture and commerce in the Island.
  Its dynamism was halted; however, the people of Ponce had within themselves the knowledge and the challenge of the reconquest.
  This Wise Lion was custodian of hope and represents all the Ponceans who help forge this city throughout these three hundred years.
  - Hon. Rafael Cordero Santiago, Mayor, 1992 -
caption: The Wise Lion at Puente de los Leones sits on the south side of the bridge (the photo is looking east)
exif: {"Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "180", "Image YResolution": "180", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Microsoft Windows Photo Viewer 6.1.7600.16385", "Image DateTime": "2017:07:30 23:11:49", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "Image ExifOffset": "2314", "Image Padding": "[]", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "180", "Thumbnail YResolution": "180", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "5924", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "4451", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/800", "EXIF FNumber": "4", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2010:08:08 09:35:44", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2010:08:08 09:35:44", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "5", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "309/32", "EXIF ApertureValue": "4", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "2", "EXIF FocalLength": "115/16", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "1704", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "2272", "Interoperability InteroperabilityIndex": "R98", "Interoperability InteroperabilityVersion": "[48, 49, 48, 48]", "Interoperability RelatedImageWidth": "2272", "Interoperability RelatedImageLength": "1704", "EXIF InteroperabilityOffset": "5750", "EXIF FocalPlaneXResolution": "56800/7", "EXIF FocalPlaneYResolution": "56800/7", "EXIF FocalPlaneResolutionUnit": "2", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "1", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF Padding": "[]", "EXIF OffsetSchema": "3938"}