Santo Domingo Sites

Not far from where we live in downtown Santo Domingo is a national monument to Christopher Columbus.  We visited this cultural treasure recently and felt the spirit of this revered explorer.  The monument/museum is a massive concrete structure built in the shape of a cross and centered in a large park.

Inside, at the center of the cross is a statue of Christopher Columbus.   Along the museum corridors are small rooms displaying paintings, pottery, figurines and other cultural fine arts from most Central and South American countries and the U.S.

At night, white spotlights outline the cross and shine upward into the heavens. Impressive! It was fun to see the Peruvian room having visited Peru with our son David.  This was an educational fun day trip.

Several weeks ago, another cultural trip took us to the old Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo and to The Ozama Fortress, one of the first military fortresses in Spanish America that protected the port and major waterway to the island.

Upon entering the fort, visitors are greeted by a Darth-Vadar look-a-like, a statute to Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo--the historian who wrote the history of the Indies during the colonial times. We climbed the medieval castle built in 1503, marveled at the military architecture, brick designs, walls, guardhouse, powder house and the impressive line of old cannons used to defend the city.   We enjoyed this visit with our friends Kris and Steve Bentley from Orem, Utah, who are the area IT missionaries.  This site really took us back in time!

A week ago we visited the Tres Ojos (Three Eyes) cave in the Las Americas part of east Santo Domingo with our temple missionary friends Richard and Lynn Keisker from Providence, Utah.  Descending steeply on stone-carved stairs from the ground level into what felt like a rabbit hole, and holding tightly to handrails, this cave was a little like Timpanogos Cave with  delicate stalactites and many unique rock formations.

 Open to the sky in the middle of the cave allowed for sunshine and light, providing a stark backlight contrast to the caves darkness. There are three small grottos with crystal clear water surrounded by jungle-like foliage, hanging vines, and flowers.  Linking the three caves from the main cave area was a 25 peso (50 cents)Tom Sawyer-like raft ride across an interior pond. Relaxing leisurely fun riding the raft though the cave in the dark.

Climbing out of the hole in the ground near the exit are some very unique wood carved totem poles displaying religious characters and others.  I especially thought the carving of the women showing her unborn child in her womb was especially fascinating! We marveled at the uniqueness and impressiveness of this amazing national monument site.  As they say in the DR, "Super Chevere"  (Super Cool!)  Gorgeous place! We loved it.

Tried to get into the National Palace (Palacio Nacional) but it was closed on Saturday.  We stood outside and took some photos.  The President of the Dominican Republic resides here.


Check out the guards.  They love tourists!
We will have to come back during the week to get in.

Looking forward to a visit at another date.  Still impressive to walk the periphery and enjoy the beauty!  Randy