Category Archives: Parks and Plazas

Parque Pellerano Castro – Parque Rosado

Parque Alfredo Pellerano Castro – Parque Rosado

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
The relaxing parque Pellerano Castro also known as Parque Rosado

Parque Alfredo Pellerano CastroArturo Bautista Pellerano CastroPoet Julia de Burgos

Nice private benches for relaxing at 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.
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.
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
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”.

More of the story of Julia de Burgos.

Plaza Pellerano Castro under the soft lights at 5AM.
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.

Plaza de la Poesía

Plaza de la Poesía / Plaza of the Poetry

The Plaza de la Poesía was build to honor the Dominican poet and the founder of women’s higher education Salomé Ureña de Henríquez (October 21, 1850 – March 6, 1897). This small cozy plaza was inaugurated during the III Festival de Poesía de Santo Domingo on October 2011 to mark the importance of poetry and reading in the country.

The statue of Salomé Ureña de Henríquez in the Plaza de la Poesía.
The statue of Salomé Ureña de Henríquez in the Plaza de la Poesía.

This small intimate plaza is the perfect place to get away from it all. A quiet place to sit, think or read. In years gone by this area was full of chaos and commotion. The gate next to the park is the Puerta Atarazana which was the entrance to the shipyards and warehouse of the Atarazanas.

Plaza de la Poesía, the perfect place to relax.
Plaza de la Poesía, the perfect place to relax.
Plaza de la Poesía with the Alcazar Colón in the background.
Plaza de la Poesía with the Alcazar Colón in the background.

Location:

The Puerta Atarazana on Calle Colon behind the Alcazar del Colon and Plaza España.

Parque Plaza History Maria Trinidad Sanchez

Parque – Plaza Maria Trinidad Sánchez And The History Of María

This small triangle-shaped park is dedicated to the great woman patriot Maria Trinidad Sanchez. She is the Aunt of one of the Fathers of the Nation, Francisco del Rosario Sanchez. She represents the best of female leadership at the time. In this tree filled park is a bust of this brave Dominican woman with benches surrounding.

Maria and Concepción Bona created the first Dominican flag.

Parque Maria Trinidad Sánchez under the Flamboyant Tree.
Parque Maria Trinidad Sánchez under the Flamboyant Tree.

Dominican Activist

Maria was a Dominican activist who actively participated in the independence of the Dominican Republic against the Annexation to Spain. She collaborated with Los Trinitarios, who shared the idea of a free and independent republic. On February 27, 1844, at the peak of the battle, she carried gunpowder to make the gun cartridges used that night underneath her skirt.

Maria Sanchéz was very involved in the conspiracy of 1845 against General Pedro Santana who later became president. Maria and the others involved were caught and imprisoned. She was put on trial for conspiracy. When questioned about the location of her nephew, Francisco Sanchez, she refused to tell where he and the other members of the Trinitarios were hiding.

This heroic deed, among others, led to her execution. She was lead out of her prison in Fortaleza Ozama to the Cemetery where she was to be shot. As she passed by the Puerta del Conde (Parque Independencia) she exclaimed: “Dios mío, cúmplase en mí tu voluntad y sálvese la República”/ “My God, let your will be done in me and save the Republic.”

Bust of Maria Trinidad Sánchez in the park named after her.
Bust of Maria Trinidad Sánchez in the park named after her.

First Victim of Political Crimes

Maria was one of the first victims of political crimes in the history of the Republic. She was executed, along with her nephew Andrés Sánchez, because of her actions against the annexation of the country to Spain.

Maria Trinidad Sanchez was shot on February 27, 1845 on the first anniversary of the founding of the Republic. She was executed because of her dedication and love for the country and for her desire for the sovereignty of the Dominican Republic.

Maria Sanchez – Born June 16, 1794 – Died February 27, 1845. Her body is interred in the Panteón Nacional in Colonial Zone.

Plaza - Parque Maria Trinidad Sánchez, Zona Colonial.
Plaza – Parque Maria Trinidad Sánchez, Zona Colonial.

Location:

Corners of Luperon, Calle Mercedes and 19 de Marzo. From Calle el Conde turn up (north – away from the sea) on 19 de Marzo, 2 blocks on the left.