| Church Santa María del Rosario of Vega Baja | |
| Location: | Town Plaza - 36 Betances Street, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates: | 18.264°N -66.2335°W |
| Map Alt: | Locator map |
| Area: | Less than one acre |
| Built: | 1860-1874 |
| Architect: | Antonio María Guitián |
| Added: | September 18, 1984 |
| Refnum: | 84003133 |
| Designated Other1 Name: | Puerto Rico Historic Sites and Zones |
| Designated Other1 Color: |
|
| Designated Other1 Num Position: | bottom |
| Designated Other1 Number: | 2000-(RMSJ)-00-JP-SH |
| Designated Other1 Abbr: | RNSZH |
| Designated Other1 Date: | February 3, 2000 |
The Church Santa María del Rosario of Vega Baja (Spanish: Iglesia Santa María del Rosario de Vega Baja) is a historic Catholic parish church from 1860 located in the main public square (plaza) of Vega Baja Pueblo, the historic and cultural downtown of the municipality of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. The parish, which is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arecibo, was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places in 1984[1] as part of the Historic Churches of Puerto Rico thematic multiple property submission.[2] It was later added to the Puerto Rico Register of Historic Sites and Zones in 2000.[3]
The church was designed by architect Antonio María Guitián and it was built in stages between the years 1850 and 1874, while being consecrated in 1860 and officially inaugurated on March 12, 1870. Its original clock tower was heavily damaged by the 1918 Aguadilla earthquake, and finally destroyed by the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane, better known as the San Felipe Segundo hurricane in Puerto Rico. In addition to its inscription in the National Register of Historic Places on September 18, 1984, the church was included in the municipally designated Historic Zone of Vega Baja in 2004.[4]
The church is open to the public during weekday services at 6:30 AM and 7:00 PM, and during weekend services at 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM.[5]