Art & Culture

Painting and Sculpture are part of Dominican art and inherited from Spanish intellectuals.

The School of "Bellas Artes" has based its foundations on the famous painters and sculptors of national and international acclaim who brought life to canvas with warm and vibrant colours.

From the Taíno people we inherited the art of handcrafts, which we still use for bateas (recipients to hold water), higüero (recipient to hold food), hammocks, and baskets weaved by Dominican hands.

Our national stone is Amber, a fossilized vegetable resin of varying shades of yellow, which contains extinct insect and plant fossils.

These pieces can be acquired in any arts and crafts store in the country. "Larimar” (or Dominican turquoise) is another jewel of the Dominican Republic, a semiprecious sky-blue stone, used for decorating beautiful pieces of jewellery.

Zona Colonial

The Colonial City is the perfect starting point for visitors to discover Santo Domingo. Here, between Independence Park and the Ozama River, you will find the first city built in the New World by European conquerors, including Cristobal Colón brother, Bartolomé Colón, and his son Diego Colón.

• Parque Colón

Parque Colón (Columbus Park) is probably the best place to start your tour. It is located at the corner of Calle Arzobispo Meriño and Calle Conde. If you find yourself on Calle Conde, which runs east and west, dividing the Colonial Zone, just walk east towards the river and soon you will see a bronze statue of Christopher Columbus. On the north side of the park, you will enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the excellent cafeteria and bar. Directly facing the statue, a locally owned cigar store offers hand-rolled Dominican smokes. At times the park can fill up with tourists, shoeshine boys, vendors, and guides, to create a particular and much appreciated atmosphere. The vendors have developed the fine art of making the difference between the folklore of a harmful and almost playful negotiation and understanding the word “no thank you”. And for a few pesos, you can enjoy a shoeshine while sipping rum from a plastic cup. You will also often get to hear a folk guitarist playing out in front of the police station near the park, serenading the afternoon away.
The original city plans called for a green area set in the centre of town, surrounded by public and religious buildings to include a cathedral, the Governor's Palace for the King's representatives, the City Hall, and the Court of Justice. However, after wars and times of hardship, only the Cathedral and the City Hall were actually built.

• Catedral Basilica Santa Maria la Menor, Primada de America

Facing Parque Colón on the south, this beautiful Cathedral is the oldest church in the Americas. Its buildings, walkways, gardens, and residences take up most of a city block. Diego Colon set the first stone of the Cathedral in 1514, but the real construction didn't get under way until around 1520 because the original Spanish architect left Santo Domingo to build another cathedral in Mexico. The financing of the building was left in the hands of the Bastidas, a wealthy church family, and the building was finally completed in 1544 by Rodrigo de Bastidas's son, who was a Bishop of the Church and financed the construction out of his own pocket. The bell tower, which was to dominate the old city, was never completed. The structure itself features gothic and Spanish Renaissance façade with baroque ornamentation. If you look closely, you can see a gothic vault, a Renaissance façade and Romanesque arches. From the outside, the cathedral looks rather imposing with its heavy limestone and thick appearance.

As you walk around the cathedral you will notice the Gate of Pardons (north, facing Parque Colón), which is a gothic entrance. The main portal is called St. Peter's Gate. It features an impressive double arch, with a unique fresco combining gargoyles and other mythical figures. The niches on each side of this main door supposedly once contained figures of St. Peter, St. Paul, and four other apostles, all of which were taken away by Sir Francis Drake. The inside of the cathedral is quite peaceful, even elegantly dramatic, with a number of small chapels, life-size wooden animals, an abstract Jesus, and stained-glass windows crafted by Rincon Mora, a Dominican artist. The beautiful mahogany altar dates from 1684 and has recently been restored to its original glory after many years of neglect. The Chapel of the Virgin of the Light is of particular interest. This is where Christopher Columbus' remains did in fact rest for at least 150 years after being repatriated from Seville in the mid-1600s. What happened to these remains beyond this point is a matter of dispute. The Spanish claim that they eventually made their way back to Spain via Havana. We insist that the wrong remains made the trip back.

A long history of anthropological and historical argument has failed to settle where the actual remains of the Admiral came to rest, but we like to think that they are in Santo Domingo resting in the Faro a Colón (Columbus Lighthouse) across the Ozama River. There is no charge to visit the cathedral and it is normally open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On the south side of the cathedral, you will find a tiny street called Calle Arturo Pellerano Alfau or Paseo de Los Nichos, which crosses Arzobispo Nouel and was probably the first pedestrian alleyway in Santo Domingo. As you pass along the Paseo de los Nichos, just across Calle Isabel La Católica you will see the Casa Diego Caballero and Casa Sacramento. The first of these houses was constructed in 1523. The second was home to many important colonial figures, including Alonso de Fuenmayor, responsible for the completion of the city walls and the construction of many buildings in the middle of the 16th century. The façade of the Casa Diego Caballero is characterised by two square towers. The inside features galleries composed of solid stone arches. On the west side of Parque Colón is what remains of the original City Hall, built in the 16th century and now part of the Banco de Trabajadores (Worker's Bank), with a huge tower known as El Vivaque. On the east side of Parque Colón is the Palacio de Borgella, which dates from the 19th century. Once the seat of executive power, it now houses administrative offices and a post office.

Heading east from the cathedral, either down Calle Conde or between Casa Diego Caballero and Casa Sacramento, you will reach one of the most truly dramatic and historic main roads in the western hemisphere. Though originally not designed to be accessible to the public, the Calle de las Damas was a regal and imperial promenade, which has now been lined with carefully restored colonial buildings of great significance.

• The Fortazela Ozama

Very near the river in the far south-eastern corner of the Colonial Zone is the Fortazela Ozama (Ozama Fortress), site of the Torre del Homenaje (Tower of Homage), open Tuesday-Sunday 08h00 – 19h00, admission fee of about 5 €. This fort and the sombre tower sit overlooking the conjunction of the Ozama River and the Caribbean Sea and were built by Governor Nicolás de Ovando in 1503. This site is the oldest military building complex in the Americas. It was on these grounds, in the guardian’scottage, that Diego Columbus lived when he first arrived in Santo Domingo with his wife, Doña Maria de Toledo, and it was here that Trujillo jailed some of his many political prisoners. The tower is a wonderful place from which to watch a Caribbean sunset at about six o'clock in the evening. The grounds too are restful and communicate an eerie sense of antiquity. On the grounds stands a statue of Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo, famous military historian of the New World. Over the years 1503 to 1925, it has flown the flags of seven nations, which have occupied the Dominican Republic at different eras.  The fort history is full of interesting events; on July 9th 1509, in a pageantry ceremony, Don Diego Colon made his triumphant appearance through its portal; laden with the titles of Viceroy of the New World, Admiral of the Ocean Sea, First Duke of Veragua, First Marquis of Jamaica and Governor of Hispaniola, accompanied by his wife, Vice-regent Maria de Toledo, his uncle Bartolome Colon, and an entourage of nobles with their wives and mistresses. When you buy tickets to the fortress, several young men will approach you as guides. They generally provide congenial and competent service and seem to take great pride in both their work and the historical context of their city.

Around the corner from the fortress, facing the Caribbean Sea on George Washington Avenue stands a large black statue of Antonio Montesino, one of the earliest of 16th-century defenders of the Taino Indians. From Santo Domingo, he appealed to the Spanish Government for justice for the Indians. This is another good spot to observe both sunrise and sunset.

• Calle las Damas

In front of the fortress complex runs the superb Calle las Damas. Built in 1502, it is the oldest street in the Americas. This street, approximately ¾ of kilometres (half a mile) long, runs from north to south, and is one of the most pleasant and historic walks in the Colonial District. This street became the "walk of the ladies" because Diego Colóns' wife, Maria de Toledo (a niece of King Ferdinand), grew into the habit of walking down this street to Mass accompanied by the noble wives. Just to the north of the fortress is the Casa de Bastidas, with an 18th-century sign on the right wall and an 18th-century stone sculpture of Santa Barbara on the roof above the gate. This large home and its enclosed courtyard was the residence of Rodrigo de Bastidas, conquistador, explorer, and Governor of Santa María (now Colombia). Open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. every day, the spacious courtyard is graced by Romanesque arches and houses, and several beautifully appointed art galleries. A gift shop operates just inside the entrance. At times, concerts and parties are held in the courtyard, some are accessible to the public.

Continuing along Calle las Damas to the north, at the corner of El Conde you will find the former house of the explorer/conqueror of Mexico, Hernan Cortes. Built in gothic style by Governor Ovando in 1503, the Casa de Cortes currently houses the French Embassy, and quite often displays modern art from Dominican and French artists. On the same side of the street as the Casa de Cortes, you will find several art and gift shops where you can buy attractive cards and souvenirs. Perhaps the most impressive historical structure on the Calle de las Damas is the Manor of Nicolás de Ovando, an early 16th-century mansion built by Governor Ovando, once split into two houses for Ovando himself and the Davilas’ family. This residence has now been turned into an excellent hotel. The most interesting point of interest of this building is its Gothic-Elizabethan Portal, the only one of its kind in the New World and judged by some art historians as an architectural gem of universal interest. Although no-one really knows where Colón himself lived when he governed Santo Domingo from fall 1498 to 1500, it has been established that he was a guest in the Nicolás de Ovando residence.

• Panteón Nacional and Casa de las Gárgolas

Across the street from the Manor of Nicolás de Ovando, you will discover the Panteón Nacional. Originally the Convento de San Ignacio de Loyola (a Jesuit Abbey), the pantheon later became a tobacco warehouse and then a theatre. In more recent times, heroes and public figures have been buried there. Built in 1747, the abbey was restored as the pantheon in 1955 by Trujillo, who made elaborate (but unfulfilled) plans to have himself buried there (he was eventually buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris). As you look up, you will see an impressive copper chandelier hanging from the ceiling, which was donated by Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. Just around the corner from the pantheon is the weird Casa de Gargoyles, which now houses the Dominican Development Foundation. Here you can see the gargoyles, which were once part of the structure of the cathedral. Next door to the house of gargoyles is the Casa de los Jesuitas (Jesuits Abbey). Made of brick and stone, it is one of the oldest constructions in the city. Governor Ovando originally ordered its creation in the 16th century,to become the seat of the University of Gorjon. In 1711 it became the Jesuits Abbey. The building complex occupies an area of 788 square kilometres. It is joined to the Casa Villoria and Casa de las Gargolas through interior courtyards. Today it boasts branches of the Museo de Las Casas Reales (Museum of Royal Estate) and the offices of Dominican Foundation of Development, the institution, which financed its restoration.

On the other side of the alleyway stands the delightful Capilla de los Remedios (Chapel of Our Lady of Remedies). The earliest residents of the colony attended mass in its stark and simple interior before the construction of the cathedral was completed. The chapel is open Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Small musical groups occasionally perform in the chapel, which has perfect acoustics for quartets and trios.

• Museo de las Casas Reales

Just across the way from the Capilla de los Remedios, you will find the Museo de las Casas Reales (Museum of the Royal Houses), one of the finest small museums in the whole Caribbean. Located on the corner of Calle de las Mercedes, the museum charges an entry fee of about 6 € and is open Tues.-Sat. 09h00 – 17h00 and Sunday 10h00 – 13h30 (closed Monday). The building is the restored 16th century palace of the Spanish Governor's Royal Court and is a delightfully cool and spacious place to spend a few hours viewing an excellent collection of artefacts from the colonial period, including maps of sea voyages, paintings, restored court rooms, carriages, and treasures from sunken galleons. The museum also includes a fantastic collection of weapons from many countries, originally put together by Trujillo. One of Trujillo's offices was originally here as well. One of the more interesting features of the museum is its apothecary shop and collection of dolls and hand-blown glass. The museum was inaugurated in 1976 by President Balaguer, in the company of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain. As you walk north, away from the museum, you will see El Reloj del Sol (a sun-clock) built in 1753, positioned in such a way that the judges seated in the court across the way could always tell the time. To this day, it still gives the accurate time.

• Alcázar de Colón and La Atarazana

Standing at the Sun-Clock, you are almost on the Plaza Maria Toledo (named after King Ferdinand's niece), which overlooks both the two-story rectangular Alcázar de Colón and La Atarazana, first commercial centre of the New World. The Alcázar is closed on Tuesday but is open every other weekday 09h00 – 17h00, Saturday 09h00 – 16h00, and Sunday 09h00 -13h00. For a modest admission fee, you will see the magnificent restoration of what was once a crumbling relic, originally built in 1510-1514 by order of Diego Colón. Inside you will discover a Vice regal Museum featuring an armoured knight on a wooden horse, antique pottery and furniture, musical instruments, and tapestries. Of course, not many of the relics and antiques date from the early colonial period (most are in fact imports from later Spanish centuries). However the Alcázar provides the visitor with an authentic look and feel. From the first floor, you can get a good view of the Ozama River, the Colón Lighthouse, and the whole colonial surroundings. You can almost imagine it as the residence of Diego, who was called back to Spain in 1523, partly because of his self-indulgence. His descendants continued to occupy the building as a residence until the early 18th century. The grounds of the Alcázar are beautifully maintained, leading down to the Puerta de San Diego (Gate of St. James), which for many years, was the original gate of the old city. Here you can see a section of the old wall, originally built in 1571 to protect the city from invasions along the river.

Directly across from the Alcázar is La Atarazana, eight 16th century warehouses on brick foundations. Today these architecturally unique buildings are gift shops, restaurants, and bars. La Atarazana is a good place to pull up a chair under a parasol and enjoy a cold drink.

If you proceed north and walk down a flight of steps from the Alcázar, you will end up at the foot of the 17th century Atarazanas’ Gate and directly in front of the Museo de las Atarazanas, sometimes called the Museo Maritimo (Shipyard Museum). This museum tells the story of many of the most famous shipwrecks along the Dominican coast and the efforts made to recover their treasures. The museum houses recovered treasures from the wrecks Guadeloupe and Conde de Tolosa (wrecked off Samaná in 1724), known as the "quicksilver galleons" because they were carrying mercury with which to refine silver and gold. The museum is filled with enchanting discoveries including clay pipes, brandy bottles, fused coins, pottery shards, Ming Dynasty porcelain, and contraband cargo like an eight-day clock made in London. The museum is closed on Wednesday but otherwise open Mon.-Sat. 09h00 – 17h00 and Sunday 09h00 – 13h00.

• Casa del Cordón

Just around the corner from La Atarazana and near the Palacio de Comunicaciones, is the Casa del Cordón (House of Cord), located on Calle Isabel la Católica at the corner of Calle Tejera. The house of Cord is significant from an historical point of view since it is the oldest stone building in the Americas. Above the entrance is the cord, a symbol for the Franciscan order. Today, the building houses a commercial bank, which you will be allowed to visit during normal business hours. Before moving into his official residence, Diego Colón lived here with his wife and this is where two of his children were born. This is also the place where the women of Santo Domingo lined up to surrender their jewellery to Sir Francis Drake in 1586 during his siege of the city.

• Museo Juan Pablo Duarte

One block north of the Casa del Cordón is the Museo de Juan Pablo Duarte. Duarte, the hero of the fight for independence, was born here on January 26th 1813. The museum has a representative sampling of belongings and mementos and is well worth a short visit. If you continue to walk uphill (north), you will come to the Iglesia Santa Bárbara (Santa Barbara Church and Fort), at the corner of Calle Isabel la Católica and Avenida Mella, one of the large shopping and commercial streets bordering the Colonial District. The church was constructed in 1562 and combines numerous architectural styles, including gothic and baroque.

• Ruinas de San Francisco

If you walk back downhill and look up and to the right, you will see the ruins of the monastery called San Francisco on Calle Hostos. The Ruinas de San Francisco are just that, ruins. This old monastery was built during the 16th century and destroyed by an earthquake in 1673. Dating from 1508, the grounds originally contained three connecting buildings, including the chapel of Maria de Toledo (Diego's wife). Over the centuries the monastery was invaded by Drake, destroyed by a 1751 hurricane, and used as an psychiatric asylum after 1881. You can still see the chains used to secure the "patients". During the Spanish Civil War, artists took refuge within its walls, and, as legend has it, the remains of Bartolomé Colón are buried here. The ruins are open every day and there is no admission fee. Although you will not see much more than ruins, ancient crumbling walls and some inner chambers, it still exudes an echo of the past, and the grounds offer a nice place to rest in the shade. Set on a hill surrounded by an authentic Dominican neighbourhood, there is something very relaxing about this site. Just up from the ruins is the Ermita San Anton (at Calle Hostos at the corner of Calle Restauración), built in 1586.

• Hospital San Nicolás de Bari

Heading downhill on Calle Hostos you will walk along a high pavement with an iron railing. This area, with its modest homes and shops, is very pleasant and, looking down, you will see the impressive ruins of the Hospital de San Nicolás de Bari, built by order of Governor Ovando in 1503-1508 to care for the poor and needy of the new city. Totally completed by 1552, the hospital was one of the best constructed buildings in the city and survived almost intact until 1911, when its walls were sadly condemned and demolished for security reasons. Even though the buildings are gone, see if you can make out the cross-shaped outline of the ruins. The chapel of the hospital has been incorporated into the church next door, Our Lady of Altagracia.

• Convento de los Dominicos

Calle Hostos, across El Conde and at the corner of Paseo Padre Billini is another important spot. The Iglesia y Convento de los Dominicos (Dominican Abbey), built in many stages in the early part of 1510. As you would expect, the church was destroyed by an earthquake at the end of the 16th century, then reconstructed with the addition of a chapel in 1649. People around Santo Domingo considered the building to be the most elegant of its time, and for a while it housed the original Santo Tomás de Aquino University. Inside, the altarpiece was a gift from the grandson of Ferdinand and Isabela, known simultaneously as Spain’s Emperor Charles I and Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Take a glance at the rosary chapel and its representation of 12 astrological figures on a map of the stars. From the outside, the building appears in outstanding brick and squared stones, decorated with 16thcentury Spanish tiles. It is mostly a gothic building, but there is a touch of Renaissance as well, with rose motifs around the windows and decorative vines. Next door to the church is the 18th century Capilla de la 3ra Orden (Chapel of the Third Order), where Eugenio Maria de Hostos founded the Escuela Normal, a training school for teachers. If you are fond of churches and abbeys, just down Padre Billini at the corner of Calle José Reyes, you will discover the Iglesia de la Regina Angelorum (Church of the Queen of the Angels), where the remains of Father Billini were buried. The first poetesses in the New World, Leonor de Ovando and Elvira de Mendoza, lived here. It is now occupied by nuns who will be happy to let you in for a visit.

• Casa del Tostado and the Museum of the 19th Century Dominican Family

If you walk back down Calle Padre Billini, at the corner of Calle Arzobispo Meriño you will come to the most genteel of colonial residences, known as the Casa del Tostado. This early 16th century manor was built in late gothic style and now houses the picturesque Museum of the 19th Century Dominican Family, which is worth a visit. Francisco Tostado, the original owner, was the first Hispaniola born person to become a university professor (at Tomás de Aquino) but was killed by Drake's men in 1586. The museum inside has a good collection of 19th and 20th century Victorian wicker and mahogany furniture and a courtyard where you can wander and rest. Climb a wooden staircase to the first floor terrace and get a good view of the old city. If you are in the Casa del Tostado, you can exit onto Calle Arzobispo Meriño and head just behind the cathedral, where you will find the picturesque alley known as Callejon de los Curas (Alley of the Priests), where the cathedral's clergy live. The residences are closed to the public, but it is a nice walk within this historic buildings area.

• El Museo de la Porcelana

Going the other way from the Dominican Church and Convent, you will end up in Calle José Reyes, of which most of the area is typical of colonial district residential streets: narrow and busy. Between Padre Billini and Arzobispo Nouel, you will see the tiny (from the front) El Museo de la Porcelana. The building, which houses the museum was built at the turn of the century by the wealthy Vicini family, reportedly on the model of the Alhambra Palace in Spain. The porcelain collection is lovely, and the inner courtyard offers a peaceful rest from the busy street outside.

• Iglesia del Carmen

A short walk up Calle Arzobispo Nouel from Calle José Reyes will take you to the Iglesia del Carmen and its Capilla de San Andres, an 18th century church and chapel containing an interesting wooden sculpture of the Nazarene. Common belief has it that it was in this church that conspirators planned a revolt against Haitian occupying forces in 1844.

• Iglesia de las Mercedes and other churches

By heading up Calle José Reyes, you will eventually cross El Conde (which you should use as your bearing point anyway) and reach the corner of Calle de Las Mercedes, where you will find Iglesia y Convento de las Mercedes, a huge structure built during the first half of the 16th century in honour to the Virgin Mary. The church was finally completed in 1555 just in time to be invaded by Sir Francis Drake, who apparently had no great love for Catholics. The architect of the original structure was Rodrigo de Liendo, and the grouping of the buildings is both harmonious and attractive. Only the cloister was spared from the damage of Drake's attack and is still in original condition. The other churches in the area, Iglesia San Miguel and San Lazaro, both on Calle Restauracion, are of later periods.

Parque Independencia

Now that you have become familiar with El Conde, you can walk its length towards the west and find the Parque Independencia area. Santo Domingo was fortified in the mid 16th century by walls running along the Ozama River to the Malecón, then up present-day Calle Palo Hincado to a point just beyond Calle Restauracion, and then west back to the Ozama River, all of which became the boundary of the original Colonial Zone.  Going straight through the calle Palo Hincado and immediately ahead of you, you will see the Puerta del Conde (Gate of the Count), named after the Count of Peñalva, the Captain General who fought back the English in 1655. The park (a bit dusty from the heavy trucks frequently passing nearby) contains the Altar de la Patria (Altar of the Nation), built in 1976 and containing the remains of several national revolutionary heroes, including Duarte, Sánchez, and Mella. Just past the gate, and set into the walkway, is a nautical star which points to 32 directions on the motorway and is kilometre zero, from which all distances are measured in the country. At the northern edge of the park, you will discover the ruins of the Fuerte de la Concepción, which marks the far north-western part of the old colonial city. Nearby, on the corner of Palo Hincado and Calle Arzobispo Portes, is the Puerta de la Misericordia (Gate of Mercy), which provided protection to the masses in times of natural disaster. If you look over the corner of El Conde and Avenida Arzibispo Meriño, you will see a building which was the original town hall (now a bank) and still houses murals painted by Spanish artist Vela Zanetti, exiled in Santo Domingo during the Spanish Civil War.

National Theatre

If your stay in Santo Domingo coincides with the theatre season, you should make a point of attending a performance. The Teatro Nacional is a modern building constructed in the heart of Plaza de la Cultura. The main auditorium can comfortably seat 1700 and is designed in a way, which allows all spectators to have excellent views of the stage from any position. Its modern modulated acoustics system is capable of faithfully transmitting the slightest whisper uttered on stage throughout the entire auditorium. Enjoy Dominican and International shows in this fascinating theatre and take part in the Dominican and International art transmitted through these modern and comfortable facilities.

Museums in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo’s cultural and artistic vitality can be experienced in its vibrant range of theatres, concert halls and galleries. Some of the museums are in the Plaza de la Cultura. Just as its name suggests, it is a cultural centre located in the heart of the city. Its design and layout make its facilities easily accessible from three main arteries of Santo Domingo. The modern building complex houses the Biblioteca Nacional (National Library), Cinemateca Nacional (National Film Library), Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art), Museo de Historia Natural (Museum of Natural History), Museo de Historia y Geografia ( Museum of History and Geography), Museo del Hombre Dominicano (Museum of the Dominican History), and the Teatro Nacional (National Theatre). A visit to the Cultural Plaza is more than just a pleasant stroll; it is a walk through Dominican culture and history.

Museo de Arte Moderno

Santo Domingo’s Museum of Modern Art features paintings and sculpture by national and international artists. There is, of course, a heavy focus on Dominican Republic artists, but creations by international masters are sometimes highlighted in exhibitions. Look for the works of two of the country’s best-known artists, Elvis Aviles and Tony Capellan who both enjoy worldwide recognition.

Plaza de la Cultura,
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
tel: +1 809-682-8260

Museo del Hombre Dominicano

Long before Columbus set foot in the Dominican Republic, the island was home to several native tribes, most notably the Taino Indians. This museum preserves portions of that early, rich history and allows visitors to get up close to tribal masks, ceremonial items, and everyday artefacts that survived European colonial expansion.

Ave Máximo Gómez, Plaza de la Cultura,
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
tel: +1 809-687-3622

Museo Bellapart

Museo Bellapart includes Santo Domingo’s largest private collection of artwork. Covering over a century and a half of political and cultural evolution, the collection features four important periods of art and history in the Dominican Republic: “The Precursors,” "The First Masters,” "The Exiled,” and the "The Vanguard.” From romantic, neoclassical works to defiant masterstrokes of the 1950s and '60s, the museum’s collection offers significant insight into the history of the island.

Ave John F. Kennedy, Edificio de la Agencia Bella,
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
tel: +1 809-541-7721

Museums in Santiago

Centro Eduardo Leon Jimenes

Ave. 27 de Febrero, 146.
Villa Progreso, Santiago de los Caballeros
Dominican Republic
tel: +1 809-582-2315
www.centroleon.org.do

In 1964 the first Art Contest was developed by Eduardo Leon Jimenes, with the double intention of stimulating the development of visual arts and to stigmatise the creativity of the new generations of artists. In his inaugural speech, Don Eduardo Leon Asensio already highlighted his visionary expectation that this contest would undoubtedly grow into the creation of a permanent exhibition hall.

This vision became a reality in 1999, when the Foundation Eduardo Leon

Jimenes, presided over by Don Jose A. Leon Asensio, initiated the preparatory works for the construction of the Cultural Centre Eduardo Leon Jimenes.  To this present day, they have received spontaneous donations, as well as loans, acquisitions of important artistic, archaeological, bibliographical and ethnologic collections; all related to the Dominican culture.

In order to organise these valuable collections and make them accessible to the public, the services of Consultants and Professional Advisers (CAP) were contracted, under the direction of Rafael Emilio Yunén, and of Architecture of the Sun, presided over by Pedro Jose Borrell. Next to a team of specialists in diverse areas, both companies proposed an original institutional vision, which would aim to integrate the cultural collections, the scientific documentation and the production of projects and services.

Museum Tomás Morel

Tomas Morel Museum of Folkloric Art houses a fine collection of popular arts and crafts by Dominican artists as well as a colourful collection of Santiago's famous carnival masks.

Museum of Santiago

The Santiago Museum displays an interesting compilation of historical documents, artefacts and exhibits illustrating Santiago's history. It is housed in the striking former City Hall, the 19th Century Palacio Consistorial.

Museum of Tobacco

Carnival

The celebration of the Dominican Carnival is one of the most colourful and merriest traditions in the Dominican Republic where a mixture of European and African elements can be enjoyed and experienced.

Each region of the country has its unique way of celebrating carnival. In Santo Domingo, it takes place the last weekend in February. In La Vega the carnival parade takes place every Sunday in February.

Rhythms and Dances

Dominicans have a great affinity with dance. A French observer, Father Labat, who arrived in 1795 when Spain ceded the island to France by the Treaty of Basle, commented : “Dance in Santo Domingo is the favourite passion, and I don’t believe that there is anywhere in the world a people more attracted to dance”.

To this day, it is customary to rock and sing lullabies to children before they fall asleep. The child grows up among singing games, and the practice of singing before starting school work continues. The teenage farmer sings tunes, plenas, and cantos de hacha (axe songs) in the conuco (plot of land for cultivation). He sings while praying and when he falls in love; hence the custom of singing serenades to express his love to his beloved. And in the countryside, when a child dies, they sing the baquiní.

We are happy people and we vibrate to the rhythm of our vernacular music; and that, as the ditty from a carnival song goes: “…dance in the street by day, dance in the street by night”.

Of all the rhythms that enrich our folklore, the merengue is the people’s expression. Just like any other popular expression of a people across the ages, it varies from generation to generation at the same pace as our lifestyle will change. The merengue can truly be considered as the Dominicans national dance. Our typical merengue is the integrated expression of the güira: a metal tube which is scratched to produce a continuous sound that marks the beat, inherited from the aboriginal people; the tambora: a percussion instrument with two sides, that is played on the musician’s lap and which comes from the African culture; and the accordion: a portable instrument with a keyboard on one side, that produces sounds by air moving metallic lips, “imported” from Europe.

Years later, other instruments were incorporated such as the saxophone, trumpet, and trombone, which gave the origin to the merengue musical orchestras. In the ‘70s, the electric keyboard, the base, and the synthesizer where introduced creating a harmonic sound that led to the diffusion of merengue on an international level.

Other rhythms found in Dominican culture are Pambiche, Sarambo, Salve, Palos Mangulina, Carabiné, Bolero.

Typical Cuisine

Dominican cuisine is characterised by its spices and tasty flavours.

A daily menu for most Dominicans will be composed of rice and beans or frijoles, and meat accompanied by fried plantains and salads. The moro, which is a dish of rice mixed with beans or guandules, is another typical meal.

The plantain is the main ingredient in a variety of typical Dominican dishes. It is prepared as mangú, mashed with vegetable oil or margarine, and also as mofongo, fried in little pieces and mixed with pork and garlic.

Plantain, in addition to potatoes, yucca, and other roots, is also an ingredient for our tasty sancocho, a stew of various meats and vegetables typically served during family celebrations.

During Spring, we usually have our traditional dessert of habichuelas con dulce (sweet beans). For the Christmas Eve meal, you will always find puerco en puya (roasted pork) and pasteles en hoja (boiled patties of plantain filled with meat and wrapped in a plantain leaf).

Shopping

Shopping in the Dominican Republic is highly entertaining. You will find many excellent shopping centres around your hotel area and in the main cities. Shopping musts are: the traditional Mamajuna liquor, Amber and Larimar Jewellery, semi precious stones original from the Dominican Republic, Mahogany sculptures, masks, pottery, coffee, cigars, and rums.

Fashion lovers can buy clothes from fashion designers of international acclaim such as Oscar de La Renta, Sully Bonnelly, as well as local names such as Jenny Polanco, Huiberd Franco, Yanina Azar, Marcio Pena, Leonel Lirio, the trendy designers Gutierrez – Marcano, among others.