Fuerte de la Concepción was built later in the history of the Colonial City. The fort is located at a very strategic location along the farthest northwestern side of the walled city of Santo Domingo.

The fort was designed by Juan Bautista Ruggero in 1672 and was built in 1678. It was an important addition to the city of Santo Domingos protection.

The Fuerte de la Concepción look out tower facing the land.

The strategic location of this important fort was for the initial protection of Santo Domingo and helped to deter many attempted take overs of the capital by land. It was the only fort to look towards the very isolated areas of what is now San Carlos. This was a very strategic location because they were able to view problems coming from inside the island where as most of the forts looked towards the sea or river areas.

The Fuerte de la Concepción catwalk is overgrown with weeds.

Included in the Fuerte de la Concepción, which can still be seen to this day, was a very wide approach ramp for the cannons, the round watch towers and a catwalk around the wall. Gone are the ammunition storage and troop houses. Replacing them are fruit stands and vendors selling their wares.

The Fuerte de la Concepción has not been taken care of very well.

Interesting facts:

*The fort area was used as a tram station from 1884 to 1904 when the fort was completely destroyed in a fire.

*The gate located in this wall is named Puerta de Lemba after a slave that was executed here.

*Fuerte de la Concepcion was where the people gathered when a natural disaster struck.

The Fuerte de la Concepción on Calle Palo Hicado as seen from Calle el Conde.

Location

: Calle Palo Hincado and Calle Las Mercedes. It is at the far end of the Colonial Zone across from Calle el Conde and next to Parque Independencia.

Statues/Sculptures, Then & Now Pictures

Then & Now – Fountain Monument

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.

Parks and Plazas, Statues/Sculptures

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

Parque Alfredo Pellerano Castro – Arturo Bautista Pellerano Castro – Poet Julia de Burgos

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.

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”.

More of the story of Julia de Burgos.

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.

Guide to the Colonial Zone and Dominican Republic

Category Archives: COLONIAL ZONE SIGHTS, MONUMENTS & PARKS

Fuerte de la Concepcion

Fuerte de la Concepción

Interesting facts:

Location

Then & Now – Fountain Monument

Then & Now – Ornamental Fountain Monument / Monumento De Fuente Ornamental

Location

Parque Pellerano Castro – Parque Rosado

Parque Alfredo Pellerano Castro – Parque Rosado

Parque Alfredo Pellerano Castro

Arturo Bautista Pellerano Castro

Poet Julia de Burgos

All You Want To Know About The Oldest City In The Americas