Category Archives: COLONIAL ZONE SIGHTS, MONUMENTS & PARKS

Contents of Category COLONIAL ZONE AND SANTO DOMINGO – SIGHTS & MONUMENTS

History of the old city of Santo Domingo now known as the Zona Colonial.

Colonial Zone Map

The Monuments, Museums and Sights of the Colonial City.

Buildings/Edificios – Monuments/Monumentos

Alcázar de Colón / Columbus Royal Palace
CASA CABALLERO
CASA DE BASTIDAS
CASA DE JUAN VILORIA
CASA DE LOS DÁVILA / CAPILLA DE LOS REMEDIOS
CASA DE LOS JESUITAS
CASA DE LAS GÁRGOLAS
CASA DE LOS MEDALLONES
CASA DEL CORDÓN
CASA DEL SACRAMENTO
CASA DEL TAPAO
CASA DEL TOSTADO
CASA DE LAS ACADEMIAS
CASA HERNÁN CORTÉS
CASA REALES AND MUSEO
COLEGIO DE GORJÓN
COLONIAL CULVERTS
COLUMBUS PALACE
MONTECINO THE MAN AND MONUMENT
PALACIO CONSISTORIAL
PALACIO DE BORGELLÁ
Palacete Vicini
Palacete Vicini
SUN DIAL
RUINS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MONASTERY
RUINAS HOSPITAL SAN NICOLÁS DE BARI
Puerta de las Atarazans
Puerta de la Misericordia/ Gate of Mercy
Fuerte and Puerta San Diego
Residencia de Ovando/ Governor Nicolás Ovando’s Residence
Altar de la Patria/ Altar of the Nation
Puerta el Conde/ Door of the Conde

CHURCHES / IGLESIAS

CAPILLA DE LA TERCERA ORDEN DOMINICA
CASA DE LOS DÁVILA / CAPILLA DE LOS REMEDIOS
CATEDRAL DE SANTO DOMINGO
CHAPEL OF THE ROSARY
ERMITA DE SAN ANTÓN
IGLESIA ALTAGRACIA
IGLESIA – FUERTE SANTA BARBARA
IGLESIA LAS MERCEDES
IGLESIA LOS DOMINICOS
IGLESIA NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL CARMEN
IGLESIA REGINA ANGELORUM
IGLESIA SAN LAZARO
IGLESIA DE SANTA CLARA
LA CAPILLA DE SAN ANDRÉS
LAS MERCEDES
CAPILLA DE LA TERCERA ORDEN FRANCISCANA
IGLESIA DE SAN MIGUEL
PANTEÓN NACIONAL / NATIONAL PANTHEON

FORTS AND FORTALEZAS

Fortaleza Ozama
Inside The Walls of the Fortaleza Ozama
FUERTE CARINA AND ANGULO
FUERTE SAN GIL
IGLESIA – FUERTE SANTA BARBARA
FUERTE AND PARQUE SAN JOSÉ
FUERTE DE LA CONCEPCIÓN
FUERTE INVINCIBLE AND SAN DIEGO
Fuerte de San Anton
Fuerte San Francisco
Fuerte de San Miguel
Fuerte de San Lazaro
Fuerte de la Caridad
Bastión de San Genaro
Fuerte Invincible
Fuerte San Diego
Puerta San Diego
Bateria del Almirante
Puerta Atarazana
Puerta de la Misericordia
Residencia de Governor Nicolás Ovando

MUSEUMS-GALLERIES-THEATERS

CASA DE BASTIDAS – Trampolín, Museo Infantil
CASA DEL TOSTADO – Museo de la Familia Dominicano
CASA DE LOS MEDALLONES – Museo Numismático Dominicano
COLEGIO DE GORJÓN – Centro Cultural de España
CASA REALES AND MUSEO
COLUMBUS PALACE – MUSEO ALCAZAR DE COLÓN
Museo de la Porcelana/ Museum of Porcelain
Casa de Teatro
Museo Naval de las Atarazanas/ Naval Museum of the Atarazanas
Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance / El Museo Memorial de la Resistencia Dominicana
Museum of Telecommunications / Museo de las Telecomunicaciones (CCT)

*Museos from old html web site not yet added to the new site:

Amber World Museum
Larimar Factory
Larimar Museum
Museo del Tabaco/ The Tobacco Museum
Museo de Juan Pablo Duarte/ Museum of Juan Pablo Duarte
Museo del Ron y la Caña / Museum of Rum and Sugar Cane

PARKS AND PLAZAS

CEIBA DE COLON
PARQUE PLAZA MARIA TRINIDAD SANCHEZ
PLAZA DE LA POESÍA
PARQUE PELLERANO CASTRO – PARQUE ROSADO
PARQUE DUARTE & THE MONUMENT
FUERTE AND PARQUE SAN JOSÉ
Playa Placer de los Estudios
Cementerio Nacional de la Avenida Independencia/ National Cemetery Avenue Independencia (Picture album – Cementerio Nacional)
PLAZA DE LA POESÍA
FUERTE AND PARQUE SAN JOSÉ
Playa Placer de los Estudios
Plaza Bartolomé de las Casas
Plazoleta Padre Billini
Plaza at Ermita de San Anton
Plaza María de Toledo
Parque Colón/ Columbus Park
Parque Independencia/ Independence Park

*Parks and Plazas from old html web site not yet added to the new site:

Malecón – The seaside road
Plaza de España or Plaza de Armas
Plazoleta y Callejónde los Curas/ Plaza and Alley of the Cures

STATUES
Fray Bartolomé Las Casas
Cristóbal Colón
MONTECINO THE MAN AND MONUMENT
Poet Julia de Burgos
Monument to the Japanese Agricultural Immigration
Sculpture Homeless Jesus / Escultura Jesús Desamparado
Ornamental Fountain Monument
Sculpture of Juan Pablo Duarte
The Statue of General Matías Ramón Mella
Monumento Marina de Guerra
Monumento a la Caña
Memorial Column to the Shipwreck of the Sloop Aurora

STREETS/CALLES
CALLE EL CONDE
CALLE LAS DAMAS
CALLE HOSTOS

*Streets and Calles from old html web site not yet added to the new site:

Malecón – The seaside road

Columbus Palace

Palacio Virreinal Alcázar de Colón / Columbus Royal Palace

The Palacio Virreinal Alcázar de Colón (Colón is the Spanish word for Columbus), the short name is Alcazar de Colon. In English it is known as The Columbus Palace. This beautiful historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage site is a 22 room stone home built by Christopher Columbus son, Don Diego Colón and his wife María de Toledo.

1. Alcázar de Colón 2. Museo Alcázar de Colón 3. Maria de Toledo Statue 4. Directions

Alcázar de Colón

The Palacio Virreinal Alcazar de Colon and the Puerta San Diego as seen from the Malecon entering the Colonial City.
The Palacio Virreinal Alcazar de Colon and the Puerta San Diego as seen from the Malecon entering the Colonial City.

Diego and Maria Toledo resided in this 50 room Viceregal palace, during Diego’s term as viceroy. It has beautiful gardens, large balconies and amazing courtyards. This fortress was built during the early 1500s to be the seat of the viceroy court.

Diego and his wife, Maria de Toledo, lived here until 1523 when he was recalled to Spain. Other relatives lived here for decades afterward.

This building was abandoned in 1770 and turned into a garbage dump. Cave-ins in 1809 and 1835 left the building in ruins.

The Palacio Virreinal Alcazar de Colon in ruins 1910
The Palacio Virreinal Alcazar de Colon in ruins 1910

The building was restored by highly skilled stone cutters under the orders of President Trujillo. There were some added refinements made during several later restorations. The size is much smaller than the original building. All rebuilding was done to remain as faithful as possible to the original construction and decor. Not one single nail was used in its construction. It opened to the public on Columbus Day in 1957.

The Alcazar Colón in the Colonial Zone seen from the cat walk over top of the Puerta Don Diego.
The Alcazar Colón seen from the cat walk over top of the Puerta Don Diego.

The palace sits in a large open square, Plaza de Armas or Plaza de España. There are always some interesting activities happening in this beautiful plaza and if there are no activities it is still a nice place to sit on one of the benches located around the edge of the plaza.

The Alcazar looks beautiful at night with the lights shining on the stone-coral building. The Palacio Virreinal is a must-see for those who want to learn about Santo Domingo’s historical beginnings.

The front porch of the Palace
The front porch of the Palace

Museum of the Royal Houses / Museo Alcazar de Colón

Inside the Museum of Alcazar Colón
Inside the Museum of Alcazar Colón

Located inside the Alcazar is a museum that is home to an extensive collection of furniture and household items from the colonial period all arranged to look as if it is being lived into this day.

Inside the museum
Inside the museum

On display in the mansion is furniture, many clothing items and home utensils from the era, all supplied by the Spanish government. The furnishings are not the original household furnishings. Since the building was in ruins for many centuries it was ransacked and all the furnishings were taken or destroyed.

Suit of Armor in the museum Alcazar de Colón
Suit of Armor in the museum

The museum is open to the public Tuesday to Saturday 9AM – 5PM and Sundays from 9AM to 4PM
General admission is RD$50 (6/2012)

Maria de Toledo Statue

The statue of Maria de Toledo on the side of the Alcazar
The statue of Maria de Toledo on the side of the Alcazar


*Note- Mid-2017 the statue was moved to the Plaza Maria de Toledo between Isabel la Católica and Calle las Damas.

In the side yard is a statue of Maria de Toledo, the niece of the King of Spain and wife of Diego Colón, the son of Christopher Colón.

Maria was the first person of noble lineage to come to the Spanish island in 1509. She was the great-niece of the Catholic Monarchs and granddaughter of the Duke of Alba).

Maria de Toledo statue close
Maria de Toledo statue close

María de Toledo was a gracious host and loved having parties and visitors to her home. The statue of her seems to be inviting guests to her home.

Alcazar de Colon in the morning.
Alcazar de Colon in the morning.

Directions

Calle Las Damas at Plaza España. Walking west on Calle el Conde go almost to the end at Calle Las Damas. Turn left and continue walking about 1 1/2 blocks straight ahead. The street will turn into a pedestrian only plaza. Keep walking and you will see the giant palace in the distance. You cannot miss it.

Iglesia Altagracia

Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia / Chapel de Altagracia

A tribute of love, recognition and eternal memory.

The Iglesia de Altagracia was originally built by Nicolas de Ovando in 1503. It was a small stone chapel. With the many improvements over the years, it is a beautiful place to visit and worship.

The exterior tower of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, Colonial Zone
The exterior tower of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, Colonial Zone

The church was rebuilt in the 1920s over the original building in an Elizabethan Gothic style. The wall of this church was once shared with the Hospital San Nicolás de Bari, the ruins that run alongside this church. Within these walls are the remains of the original 1540’ brick Capilla de la Concepción / Conception Chapel.

Interior of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia
Interior of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia

Inside the large church the decor is strongly influenced by Arab and Spanish art. Some of the art includes the Sol de Oro / Sun of Gold, a model of the star that announced Christ’s birth, and a beautiful altar.

Saturday night mass at the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia
Saturday night mass at the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia

The Virgin Altagracia

is the protector saint of the Dominican Republic, celebrated yearly on January 21. More information on Altagracia.

During the procession on Altagracia Day on January 21st the virgin is carried throughout the streets of the Colonial city on glorious golden throne donated by then President and dictator Trujillo (the church organ was also donated by Trujillo)

Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia on Calle Hostos, Zona Colonial
Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia on Calle Hostos, Zona Colonial

Check out our picture collection of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia.

Location

From Calle el Conce turn north on Hostos. Go about 1 block (long block) between Luperon and Las Mercedes, Colonial Zone, Santo Domingo

Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen

Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen / The Church of Our Lady of Carmen

The Brotherhood of Remedies and of Carmen, a small group of parishioners, wanted to have a small chapel for their meetings. They built their small chapel in 1615 on a plot of land owned by the San Andres Hospital.

Padre Gaspar Hernandez in front of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen
Padre Gaspar Hernandez in front of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen


 

In 1729 the chapel was enlarged. The main entrance door dates back to this period. It was christened the Plazoleta de la Trinitaria and was used as a meeting ground for the Dominicans who led the revolt against the Haitians who occupied the city in 1844.

Inside this chapel there is a wooden sculpture of the Nazareno (Nazarene) who is a type of Christ.


 

Door of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen
Door of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen

Did you know?

July 16 is the celebration of the patron saint Nuestra Señora del Carmen. She is the Patron Saint of the Fuerza Aérea de República Dominicana (FARD) / Dominican Republic Air Force.

Location

: From Calle el Conde turn south on Sanchez. Go 1 block to Calle Arzobispo Nouel. It is on the left beside the Capilla de San Andrés and Hospital Billini.