“Instituto de Señoritas” was the first school for higher learning for ladies in the Dominican Republic.
Instituto de Señoritas Salomé Ureña de Henriquez in the 1940’s.
The school was the dream of Eugenio María de Hostos and Dominican poet Salomé Ureña de Henriquez (Salomé Ureña – born October 21, 1850 – died March 6, 1897 from tuberculous).
Ladies School Salomé Ureña de Henriquez August 9, 2012 after it was completely remodeled and waiting for the Presidents arrival to inaugurate the new building.
Ladies School Salomé Ureña de Henriquez August 9, 2012 after it was completely remodeled inauguration of the new building.
Opened November 3, 1881, the school was the first center of higher education for women in the Dominican Republic. After 5 years open the school boasted its first graduates, 6 female teachers, very uncommon at this time. One of the original graduates was teacher and Women’s Rights activist Luisa Ozema Pellerano.
Ladies School Salomé Ureña de Henriquez front entrance in 2018
The building that houses the modern school was designed by the architect Marcial Pou Ricart in 1944 in an Art-Deco style.
Instituto Salomé Ureña is located on Calle 19 de Marzo #56, Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo.
Convento y Iglesia de Santa Clara/ Convent and Church of Santa Clara
Iglesia de Santa Clara
The nuns of Santa Clara arrived in the colony in 1552. The land where the Church and convent are built was donated by Alvaro de Castro, the public prosecutor of the Inquisition. Don Rodrigo Pimentel ordered that the convent was to be built in the 16th century, 1550 to 1559. Rodrigo de Bastidas, Diego Colón, Rodrigo de Pimentel y el Arzobispo Alonso de Fuenmayor all put in their ideas for the design.
Balcony of the Colegio Santa Clara
The first convent of the new world
, was occupied in 1590. When the French occupied the city in 1796 the nuns left for Cuba and returned in 1820. The church, convent and mausoleum of Christopher Columbus/ Cristóbal Colon and his decedents were originally dedicated to Santa Ana. Later it was changed and named after Santa Clara and the nuns/ monjas Clarisas. In 1873, the monastery in ruins, was given to the Sisters of Charity of Cardinal Sancha/ las hermanas de la Caridad del Cardenal Sancha, who restored it and now occupy a college where they operate.
Iglesia de Santa Clara
The monastery was created for girls in the city Ozama (Urbe del Ozama) to study and be educated. The founders were Franciscan who wore the brown sackcloth robe tied with a cord and a brown cape. These Franciscan monks are still seen walking through the Colonial city. The sisters now live behind the church on Calle las Damas. The iglesia houses a school where some days you can hear the children gathering in the church singing hymns with the sound coming out into the street like a soft wave.
The building is very plain consisting of a smooth, non-descript outer wall and a very simple entryway. The interior is decorated in Gothic style.
Iglesia de Santa Clara front door
Location:
From east Calle el Conde turn south (towards the sea) on Isabel la Católica. Go about 2 blocks to Padre Billini and it is on that corner to Calle las Damas, Zona Colonial.
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