Old Santo Domingo

Church of Santa Bárbara.

As we flew over the northern coast of the Dominican Republic on our way to Santo Domingo, I was excited to look down and take note that we were flying over the Bay of La Isabela. Although from 30,000 feet we couldn't see any detail, I knew that somewhere down there were the ruins of La Isabela, the first European settlement in the New World. 

La Isabela was founded by Christopher Columbus on January 2, 1494 after arriving in the New World on his second voyage. (He had established an “encampment” just 100 miles to the west on his first voyage where he left 38 men, but they were all killed by native Taino.) 

La Isabela struggled to survive and soon the settlers abandoned it in favor of yet another location. On the southern coast of Hispanola, the brother of The Admiral had founded a new city which he named La Nueva Isabela after the previous settlement in the north. In 1495 the name was changed to Santo Domingo. It is the oldest city in the Western Hemisphere of European origin. 

Looking across the Ozama River from the fortress.

Statue of Columbus in the eponymous plaza.

Lying on the west bank of the Ozama River, the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo gives the feeling of walking the streets of Spain. The architecture is old. There are churches, a cathedral, plazas, cobblestone streets, statues, palaces and forts. I read that there are over 300 buildings that date back to the colonial era. This city proves to be offspring of the Motherland. 

From our hotel we took a taxi to the city center, following what seemed a complicated route of narrow streets cluttered with traffic, single-storied pastel buildings and a tangle of electrical wires strung overhead. At the terminus of Arzobispo Nouel Street our ride came to an end. We paid the driver 200 pesos and quickly emptied out onto a street in Santo Domingo. 

View of the Consistory Palace.

In front of us, beyond an old stone wall, stood the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor. I was excited to see this because it was the first foreign cathedral I had seen outside of Europe. My first observation was that it was smaller than most cathedrals I had seen, and perhaps a bit more simple in architecture. That isn't to say it wasn't ornate in its own right. It still had a Gothic fling, several carved statues and other bas-relief designs. The color, a pale brown, reminded me of the cathedral in Seville, a city that was the gateway for many trans-Atlantic voyages. 

The Santo Domingo Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in the New World. It was begun in 1514 and completed in 1541. At one time it housed the remains of Christopher Columbus. The interior is modest in size, but still has a high vaulted ceiling with large pillars coming down between the pews. There are a handful of paintings along with small chapels on the outer walls. As is common in many cathedrals, there are burials of notable people. 

Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor, also known as Santo Domingo Cathedral.

West face of cathedral.

Interior of cathedral.

Just north of the cathedral is Columbus Park. In the center is a statue of Christopher Columbus pointing into the distance. It reminded me of a statue in Barcelona, Spain at the end of the Rambla where he is pointing toward the New World. On the western side of the plaza, at the entrance of Calle El Conde, is a smaller statue of the bust of Bartolomé Colón, the Admiral's younger brother and founder of the city. 

The plaza was a lively place. Families strolled in the park while kids had fun playing with hundreds of pigeons that flocked to the quaint square. A band played a festive tune. 

Columbus Park.

Bust of Bartolomé Colón, the Admiral's younger brother and founder of the city.

Not far from the cathedral was the Ozama Fortress, located on the west bank of the Ozama River. Built in 1502, it is the oldest military construction of European origin in the Western Hemisphere. 

The stone structure was open to the public and we climbed the stairs of the main tower to a commanding view of the river. With a little imagination I could see what it must have been like over 500 years ago, protecting the city from pirates and other foreign invaders. 

The stone castle not only served as a fortress, but tunnels and dungeons within functioned as prisons. Columbus himself was imprisoned here. 

Ozama Fortress.

Well manicured grounds of Ozama Fortress.

From the fortress we continued northward along Calle Las Damas, a street lined with colonial buildings which just happens to be the oldest paved street in the Americas. We passed the pantheon on our left, and then a small chapel with a campanile on our right before coming to a plaza in front of the Museum of Royal Houses. 

Santo Domingo was particularly alive this evening. Families were out on walks and it appeared as if many were dressed in their Sunday best, as if going to a dance or celebration. Jenelle surmised that many of the young girls we saw dressed up may have been celebrating their quinceañera, a popular event in Latin America that celebrates the girl's fifteenth birthday. 

Young lady dressed up, perhaps for her quinceañera.

Family riding bicycles.

There was street food being sold, but not as much as I had seen in other countries. I found a lady pulling a cart with plastic sampling trays. For 75 pesos I bought a tray that had a croquet, quepa, empanada and a couple other items. 

On the other side of the plaza was another stone building, this one two stories tall with an arched balcony. This one was called the Alcázar de Colón, or Columbus Palace. And, you guessed it, it is the oldest palace in the Americas. 

Commissioned by King Ferdinand II of Aragon, the mansion was built to house Columbus' oldest son, Diego, and his descendents. It also served as a meeting place for conquistadors like Hernán Cortés to draw up plans for their expeditions of conquest. 

Columbus Palace and the Plaza de España.

Plaza Maria de Toledo.

From in front of the palace we crossed the Plaza de España, pausing to watch families out on a stroll with their children. Once again, I couldn't help but to draw similarities between here and the mother country of Spain. Every city in Spain has a Plaza de España, and usually it is the most elegant square in town. It didn't surprise me that the architects of this New World city would pattern it after the old.

Little drummer boy.

Maybe a ten minute walk from the plaza, perched on higher ground, stood one of the most picturesque buildings in all of Santo Domingo. Construction of the San Francisco Monastery began with the arrival of the Franciscan fathers in 1509. 

Once quite extensive in size, containing a chapel and numerous other buildings, the structure has been decimated several times by hurricanes, earthquakes, and ransacked by Francis Drake in 1586. Supposedly at one time the remains of Bartholomew Columbus were buried here. 

Many of the stone walls were still standing, but many have also crumbled, leaving only foundations. With vines crawling up the ancient walls, there was a ghostly aura about the place. Although we couldn't go inside, we were able to walk around the grounds and onto some of the remaining foundations. Sunset was beginning to spread its wings over the crumbling cloister just as a flock of black ravens flew overhead. It was a sight to behold. There were stories—many of them—buried beneath these stones, some to be uncovered by the diligent seeker, with others to stay interred forever. 

Sunset over San Francisco Monastery.

Doorways in the Colonial Zone.

Emiliano Tejera Street looking toward monestery.

A couple days later we returned to the Colonial Zone. It wasn't quite as lively this time. Perhaps that was because it was now Monday instead of Saturday. 

But it was still a pleasant place to stroll. Some of the plazas were nearly empty. It still reminded me of a down-sized version of Spain. Not nearly as old and not nearly as grand, but certainly special in its own right. 

We happened across the retiring of the flag at the pantheon. As the military did their duty and brought the flag down from its pole, all within sight stopped what they were doing and stood in respect. From my short experience, the Dominican people are very patriotic and proud of their country. 

Retiring of the flag.

Pantheon of the Fatherland.

Our final stop of the evening turned out to be my favorite place in all of Santo Domingo. At the north end of the Colonial Zone was the Church of Santa Bárbara. The recently renovated church was constructed in 1537. Some time after that a fort was built around the north side making it one of the oldest churches surrounded by a fort during that period. 

The plaza outside the church was very peaceful. I saw a statue of the nativity, something I'd never seen near a Catholic church. The façade of the church was in different colors, perhaps indicating it was built in stages.

Church of Santa Bárbara.

Nativity outside Santa Bárbara Church.

We didn't go inside, but were able to walk the grounds. Around back was an amphitheater. There were also several statues of what appeared to me to be freed slaves, and Christ on the cross. I don't know the meaning of the arrangement, but would be curious to find out. 

They say that there are several crypts below the church that have recently been discovered, as well as bones in the walls. Below the plaza is supposedly an old cemetery. As we walked we saw no indication of this and no explanation. I wondered if those statues may have represented those whose graves had been covered. 

In 2020 the church of Santa Bárbara became a cathedral. There were several statues in front of the newly ordained cathedral, including the martyr Santa Bárbara de Nicomedia and St. Francis de Assisi.

Beyond the cathedral near the walls of the old fort, we found a beautiful view of the city. The tangled electrical wires were a stark reminder of the chaos that also exists in Santo Domingo. But as I looked down over the charming roof of the church, all I recognized was beauty and peace. ♠

Could these statues represent freed slaves?