Then & Now – Ornamental Fountain Monument / Monumento De Fuente Ornamental
The Ornamental Fountain was gifted to the Dominican Republic by the United States in on February 27, 1944. This fountain was given to mark the 100 year centennial anniversary of the country’s independence and the expulsion of the Haitian government from the country.
Ornamental Fountain Monument / Monumento De Fuente Ornamental was gifted to the Dominican Republic by the United States in on February 27, 1944 (Picture is from Imágenes de Nuestra Historia, R.D)Ornamental Fountain Monument Monumento De Fuente Ornamental in Parque San Jose today.
The Fountain reads –
“1844 – 1944
Los Ciudadnos Americanos en la Republica Dominicana al pueblo Dominicano en prueba de amistad y admiracion su primer centenario.”
Translated to English – The American Citizens in the Dominican Republic to the Dominican people in proof of friendship and admiration its first centenary.
Ornamental Fountain Monument / Monumento De Fuente Ornamental in Parque San Jose close.
The after picture is from a news article which reads –
“Bella fuente ornamental construida por la Colonia Norteamericana radicada en la República y obsequiada al pueblo y Gobierno dominicanos como demostración de simpatías en la fecha conmemorativa del Primer Centenario de la Independencia Nacional. Este significativo monumento se encuentra situado junto a la Avenida U.S. Marine Corps, en un parquecito triangular que hace fuente con el Club de la Juventud de Ciudad Trujillo.”
Translated to English – “Beautiful ornamental fountain built by the Colony North American based in the Republic and given to the Dominican people and Government as a demonstration of sympathy on the commemorative date of the First Centennial of National Independence. This significant monument is located next to Avenida U.S. Marine Corps, in a triangular little park that makes a fountain with the Club de la Juventud of Ciudad Trujillo.”
Note that the Ornamental Fountain is not a fountain any longer. It looks like a big loving cup. It holds the neighborhood Christmas tree and from time to time a plant tries to grow inside.
Location
The fountain is located in Parque San Jose, also known as Parque Montecinos, between Calles Jose Gabriel Garcia, Av. George Washington (Malecon) and 19 de Marzo, Ciudad Colonial.
Located in a quiet part of Ciudad Colonial is the nice little Plaza Parque Pellerano Castro. It is also known by the locals as Parque Rosado / Pink Park and Parquecito De Los Poetas / Poets Park. Whatever you call it, this out of the way park is a nice place to rest relax.
The relaxing parque Pellerano Castro also known as Parque Rosado
Nice private benches for relaxing at Parque Rosado
Parque Alfredo Pellerano Castro
The park had a make-over in the 1990s and was remodeled by the architect Manuel S. Gautier. Parque Rosdao /Pink Park, named such because it is painted a soft pink color, is a perfect place to rest in peace and quiet. There are many benches located under beautiful shade trees with hanging creepers giving this park a unique feeling. The other edges of the park have banana, avocado and mango trees. You can also see some chickens running around from time to time. If you’re lucky you may get to meet some of the local dogs who make this park their home.
The local dogs visiting the place where the bust of Pellerano Castro once stood in the park that is his namesake.
Arturo Bautista Pellerano Castro
This quiet park is named after the poet Arturo Bautista Pellerano Castro, who was also known by the pseudonym of Byron, born in Curazao March 13, 1865 and died in Santo Domingo May 5, 1916. There once was a bust of the poet located in the park. There is a stand where the poets bust was once located with a plaque that commemorates the poet and has a few of his quotes.
The bust of Poet Julia de Burgos in Parque Rosado.
Poet Julia de Burgos
(February 17, 1914 – July 6, 1953 (she died of pneumonia in Harlem at the age of 39))
The newest addition to the park is a bust of Julia de Burgos, created by sculpture René Alejandro Guzmán, and inaugurated February 6, 2014.
A close-up of the bust of Poet Julia de Burgos in Parque Rosado
Burgos, a playwright, poet, journalist and activist, is considered to be the most outstanding Puerto Rican poet of the twentieth century. She hung in the circles of intellectuals like Juan Bosch and Dominican politician Juan Isidro Jiménez Grullón, who became an inspiration of many of her best poems. She was a fighter against political injustice. In 1944 she wrote two poems for the centenary of the country: “A la Ciudad Primada de Santo Domingo” and “Hymn to the Blood of Trujillo”.
Plaza Pellerano Castro under the soft lights at 5AM.
Location: Walking from the eastern end of the Conde turn right towards the sea (north) on Calle Isabel la Católica or Calle Las Damas. Walk to the end of either of these streets and you will run into the park. Located at the intersections of Calles José Gabriel García, Arzobispo Meriño, Isabel La Católica in the Colonial Zone.
The Faro a Colón/ Columbus Lighthouse is a massive building shaped like a cross located in Eastern Santo Domingo. It is both a Museum and Mausoleum, it is said to house the remains of Christopher Columbus.
The Faro or Lighthouse was built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Admiral Cristobal Colón / Christopher Columbus to Santo Domingo in Las Americas in 1492. It sits on a large lot of land with reflecting pools on either side of the entrance (the only time there is water in the pools now is if it rains). There is a sidewalk where you can walk completely around the monstrous building and take in the views of the Caribbean Sea and the city of Santo Domingo in the distance. There are also pathways on the property where you can meander about.
The Faro a Colón standing majesticly as the sun brightens the sky.
The Design
This monuments design was chosen out of many applicants from the world over. The jury chose the design of Joseph Lea Gleave from England. His design was described as “an enormous cross-shaped structure designed to last for all times”. The jury described his design in this way, “THE DESIGN, MAKING WONDERFUL USE OF LIGHT, TAKES REFUGE IN A DIRECTNESS, SIMPLICITY AND FORCE WORTHY OF THE MONUMENTS OF THE AGES. THE DESIGN IS SYMBOLIC, BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT WHERE SYMBOLISM INTERFERES WITH THE SIMPLE BEAUTY OF THE WORK AS ARCHITECTURE. SEEN FROM THE AIR, OR FROM ITS SURROUNDINGS, THE SIMPLE MASS BECOMES A NOBLE ELEMENTAL FEATURE OF THE GROUND AND OF A CHARACTER WORTHY OF THE STEADFAST COURAGE AND FAITH OF THE GREAT DISCOVERER IT COMMEMORATES”.
The Faro a Colón entrance.
Inguration
The Columbus Lighthouse was inaugurated October 6, 1992 by President Joaquin Balaguer Ricardo. At the commemoration ceremony, the remains of Columbus were carried from the First Cathedral of the Americas through the streets, across the river and to their new resting place inside this enormous monument.
The Popemobile / Papamóvil located outside of the Faro a Colón. Pope John Paul II rode in it when he visited Oct. 9-to-13, 1992 for the inauguration of the Lighthouse.
The ceremony was even attended by Pope John Paul II. The Popes Pope-Mobile / Papamóvil can be seen parked outside of the entrance to the Faro.
Isabel la Católica statue at the Faro a Colón
The Entrance
A statue of Queen Isabel la Católica marks the entrance to the Faro as you approach on Ave. Mirador del Este. Queen Isabel la Católica, Queen of Castile, commissioned Cristobal Colón voyage to the New World.
Many different nations falgs line the walkway entrance to the Faro a Colón / Columbus Lighthouse
There is a large paved walk and grand stairs that lead up to the entrance of the Faro. The walkway is lined by many different countries’ flags waving in the breeze.
Christopher Columbus, Coat of Arms / Cristóbal Colón, Escudo de Armas
Escudo de Armas
On the entrance walkway you will notice the Christopher Columbus, Coat of Arms / Cristóbal Colón, Escudo de Armas. It is divided into 4 sections.
1) A castle of gold / Un castillo de oro
2) Lion crowned in gold with silver background / En campo de plata un leon rampante de gules coronado de oro
3) Islands of gold in a blue background / En campo de azur unas islas de oro
4) Five gold ancors in a blue background / En campo de azur cinco ancoras de oro, puestas en aspa.
Entado en punta de oro con una banda de azur y el jefe de
gules.
The bust of President Joaquin Balaguer Ricardo at the entrance to the Faro a Colón
Climbing the stairs to the front gate there is a bust of President Joaquin Balaguer watching over all who enter.
Looking in the side entrance of the Faro a Colón
The museum and chapel inside are a repository for numerous documents and artifacts associated with the early Spanish Colonial times. There are rooms dedicated to the Latin America Countries displaying many different artifacts and items of interest from the represented country.
The Faro a Colón / Columbus Lighthouse reflected in the rain water filled reflecting pool.
The Building and Light
The Faro a Colón is 693ft (211m) long East to West and 195 long feet North to South. This massive monument is 45 feet high. It was built in the shape of a cross at a 45-degree angle. It has 4 bronze lions and the feminine figurine that represents the Dominican Republic.
Columbus remains guarded by 2 lions inside the Columbus Lighthouse.
The building, in my opinion, is quite ugly from the outside. Its huge grey shape can be seen from a great distance even high in the air. The most impressive part of the structure is when they turn on the 157 beams of light illuminating the night sky with its brilliant cross. Now, the light is only turned on for special occasions because of the cost and problems with the electricity in the country. The light, it is said, can be seen in Puerto Rico on a clear night. It is very beautiful and quite impressive to see this cross-shaped beam of light shining in the night sky.
The entrance walk and stairs to the Faro a Colón
The exterior of the building has a representation of 43 different countries. Most are countries in The Americas but there are others included.
Nicaragua. Panama. Paraguay. Peru. Republica Dominicana. Puerto Rico. San Cristobal. Y Nevis. Republica Dominicana. Santa Lucia.
San Vincent. Y Las Granadinas. Suriname. Trinidad Y Tobago. Uruguay. Venezuela. España. Portugal. Italia. Inglaterra. Japon. Aruba. Curazao. Republica Dominicana. Mexico. Jamaica. Honduras.
Haiti. Guyana. Guatemala. Granada. Estados Unidos. El Salvador. Ecuador. Dominica. Cuba. Costa Rica. Colombia. Chile. Canada. Bolivia. Brazil. Belice. Barbados. Bahamas. Argentina. Antigua Y Barbuda. Republica Dominicana.
Countries named on the exterior of the Faro a Colón / Columbus Lighthouse
43 countries (48 blocks).
*Republica Dominicana holds 4 blocks.
*San Cristobal Y Nevis (Saint Kitts and Nevis) is one country with 2 blocks.
*San Vincent Y Las Granadinas is one country with 2 blocks.
Countries named on the exterior of the Faro a Colón / Columbus Lighthouse
Columbus Remains
There is still much debate on whether the remains located in the Faro really belong to Christopher Columbus. Spain also claims to have his remains. Neither country wants DNA tests done on the bones in their possession so it will remain a mystery. To read more on this
The lighthouse was remodeled in August 2008 and most recently in 2018. The streets have been repaved, the interior has been cleaned and bad floors replaced. New lighting has been installed.
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 5pm (there is a small admission fee) Phone – 809-591-1492
Directions: Ave. Mirador del Este, Santo Domingo Este. It is about a 30 minute walk from Plaza España in the Colonial Zone.
All You Want To Know About The Oldest City In The Americas
