Category Archives: Buildings/Edificios-Monuments/Monumentos

Casa de los Dávila / Capilla de los Remedios

Casa de los Dávila and the Capilla de los Remedios

Casa de los Dávila / House of Dávila and the connected Capilla de los Remedios / The Chapel of Remedies was one of the most modern and complete houses of its time. It was built Siglo XVI / The 16th century.

Casa de los Dávila | Capilla de los Remedios

Casa de los Dávila on Calle las Damas
Casa de los Dávila on Calle las Damas

Casa de los Dávila

was the residence of don Francisco Dávila, the richest families on the island at this time. It was one of the most modern and complete houses of its time. The house has a bunker built into the wall and was connected to Fuerte El Invincible. The house was later integrated into the Casa de Ovando/ House of Ovando where the Hotel Nicolás de Ovando is now.

Plaque on Casa de los Dávila
Plaque on Casa de los Dávila

Capilla de los Remedios

The Casa de los Dávila is one of the few homes in the city to have its own private chapel. The Capilla de los Remedios was built to house the remains of his family. This is where the body of Francisco Dávila is interred.

Capilla de los Remedios
Capilla de los Remedios

The chapels architectural style is Mudejar, created by the Muslims. The interior structure holds a small temple in the shape of a cross with a vaulted brick ceiling. The outside of the chapel has a bell tower made of brick that has a spectacular view of the port. At the time it was built the tower also displayed the families’ coat of arms/ escudo de armas which was destroyed by Boyers who led the invading Haitian troupes in 1830.

Capilla de los Dávilas as seen from Plaza Reloj de Sol
Capilla de los Dávilas as seen from Plaza Reloj de Sol

This small but important chapel was damaged many times throughout history and has always been rebuilt. In 1853 the chapel was damaged by a lightning strike then in 1930 by a hurricane.

The chapel fell into ruins by 1872 and stayed this way until three friends, known as The Three Johns/ Los tres Juanes, decided that this building could be saved. They were Don Juan Alejandro Acosta, DonJuan F. Travieso, both heroes of Independence, and Don Juan Pumarol. These three men got permission from the vicar of the Archdiocese to do the restoration. Finally, March 1884, the work on the little chapel completed and it was blessed.

The view of the Chapel from below.
The view of the Chapel from below.

The chapel has been repaired as needed and updated with air conditioning and other niceties. When you find the doors open be sure to visit, take a seat on one of the wooden benches, and relax for a few minutes. It is used for concerts and exhibitions.

Casa de los Dávilas on Calle las Damas
Casa de los Dávilas on Calle las Damas The Guardia del Presidente are exercising in the Plaza

Directions

: The Casa de los Dávila is located on Calle Las Damas # 57. The Capilla de los Remedios is on one side of the house and the Hostal Nicolas de Ovando on the other.

Walk east on Calle el Conde to Calle Las Damas. Turn left (north) walk about 2 blocks and it is the last building on the right before the Plaza del Sol Reloj / Plaza of the Sun Dial and Plaza España. If you come from Calle Las Mercedes and walk towards the River you will run directly into the chapel.

Casa de los Dávila and Capilla de los Remedios as seen from Calle las Mercedes
Casa de los Dávila and Capilla de los Remedios as seen from Calle las Mercedes

Casa de las Academias

Casa de las Academias/ House of the Academies or Casa de Lilís

Casa de las Academias is known as the Seat of the Academies of History, Language and Sciences/ Sede de las Academias de Historia, de la Lengua y de la Ciencias.

Casa de Lilís, home of the Casa de las Academias, Calle Las Mercedes.
Casa de Lilís, home of the Casa de las Academias

Academies

The Dominican Academy of Language was founded October 12, 1927 to ensure the functions of language development. The Dominican Academy of History dedicated to the area of history was founded 23 July 1931 to provide research and studies of Dominican history, search, sort and classify data and documents and to provide information and documentation to people who do research on history. The Academy of Sciences of the Dominican Republic was established on December 20, 1974 to promote the development of science in the Dominican Republic.

Casa de Lilís home of the Casa de las Academias, Calle Las Mercedes. Colonial Zone, Santo Domingo
Casa de Lilís home of the Casa de las Academias

Casa de Lilís

The house was constructed in 2 different centuries thus the different styles. Originally President Ulises Hereaux (Lilís) occupied the home. It was later remodeled by Manuel Maria Gautier. He had a balcony and the iron railings added to the design in the French tradition. This beautiful building has also been the home of Receptoria de Aduana/ Customs Receiving, Banco Central/ Central Bank, Logia Masónic/ Masonic Lodge among others.

Interesting Facts.
*This house has a secret entrance to an underground tunnel that Lílis used to go back and forth to the Fortaleza Ozama.

See Casa de las Academias – Then & Now pictures from 1917 and 2017
Directions: Calle Las Mercedes #204, Zona Colonial.

Colegio de Gorjón

Colegio de Gorjón, home of Centro Cultural de España

Colegio de Gorjón/ College or School of Gorjón was a vision of rich landowner and sugar tycoon Hernando de Gorjón. The building was later restored and now is the home of Centro Cultural de España/ Cultural Center of Spain.

The College of Gorjón home of Central Cultural de España.

Hernando de Gorjón

Hernando de Gorjón came to the island in 1502 on the same expedition that brought Fray Governor Nicholas de Ovando and the Licenciado/ Lawyer Bartolomé de las Casas. Since he did not have any heirs Gorjón decided to build a college for the study of sciences. Sadly, he never got to see his dream completed. The building was finished in 1550, after his death.

University of Santiago De La Paz

In 1583 it was named part of the University of Santiago De La Paz. The university was finally confirmed by Cédula Real in 1741 when Fernando VI gave it recognition as the Universidad de Santo Domingo.

An art display on the front of the Centro Cultural de España.

Centro Cultural de España/ Cultural Center of Spain

The Colegio de Gorjón was restored beautifully in the 1970’s by the Comisión de Monumentos de Santo Domingo/ Monument Commission. At this time it was decided to make the building return to its original use and become a center for learning and culture. In 1990 the location was the Centro Cultural Hispánico. Since 1998 to present day The Colegio de Gorjón is the home of the Centro Cultural de España/ Cultural Center of Spain (CCEDS http://www.ccesd.org). It is an institution integrated into the worldwide network of cultural centers of the Spanish Agency of Cooperation the International, AECI.

Architect

Many architectural interests of great historic value can be seen throughout the Colegio de Gorjón starting with the main entrance and windows.

The outside of the building can be very deceiving as it looks so plain and simple. Once you enter the front doors the interior is quite large.

Entering the building there is a stone vestibule that represents the Elizabethan period in the New World. It is decorated with several restored shields of arms that were destroyed during the Haitian invasion.

Patio of the Centro Cultural de España.

The main room was originally a chapel. Today it is the exhibition hall named in honor of painter and sculptor Antonio Prats Ventós. The Spanish patio is now the place where many outdoor concerts and exhibitions are held. The patio is surrounded by splendid columns and holds about 200 people.

Many of the old classrooms from the original school are now exhibition halls including Sala Maria Ugarte and the Sala Fotográfica. On the second floor is a library, smaller rooms and offices.

Location:

Calle Arz. Meriño between Calle Jose Gabriel Garcia and Arz. Portes.