A2Z Languages - Dominican Republic - Santo Domingo - City Guide

Sights of Interest & Attractions

The Colonial District is full of history ,remarkable people and colorful events. Parque Colon known as Columbus Park is a leafy and pleasant place to visit, located at the corner of Calle Arzobispo Merino and Calle Conde. Just east toward the river is the bronze statue of Christopher Columbus and on the north side of the park is a cafe and bar. If you are in the mood for a hand-rolled Dominican cigar there is a cigar store just directly facing the statue.

Catedral Basilica Menor de Santa Maria, Primada de America is the oldest church in the Americas and features gothic and Spanish Renaissance facades, and Romanesque arches. It faces Parque Colon on the south and was bulit by the order of Real Miguel de Pasamonte. The church takes up most of the city block with it's buildings, walkways, gardens and quarters. Interestingly enough the first stone was laid in 1514 by Diego Columbus but the real construction didn't start untill 1520 reason being the original architect left Santo Domingo to build another church in Mexico.

Casa Diego Caballero & Casa Sacramento are famous houses of Santo Domingo. The first of these house was bulit in 1523 and the second was home to many important figures. Casa Diego Caballero is distinguished by two square towers and the inside is full of galleries composed of solid stone arches.

Of great historical interest is the Museum of the Royal Houses, the restored 16th century palace of the Spanish Court, which features a wonderful view into the past. Nearby is the Alcázar de Colón (Castle of Columbus) built by Diego Columbus and his wife Maria de Toledo, niece of the Spanish King Ferdinand.

From the old to the new, Santo Domingo takes visitors on a trip through the centuries with its dozen of national museums celebrating all aspects of Dominican life past and present. Many of these museums are located in the Plaza de la Cultura, a large park area where visitors can stroll easily from one museum to another. They include The Museum of the Dominican Man, the Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of History and Geography, and the National Museum of Natural History.

Another site not to be missed is the Faro a Colón (Columbus Lighthouse) an impressive structure in the shape of a cross which was constructed to mark the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' Landing in the Americas in 1492. It houses his remains, and features numerous exhibits. After exploring it by day, it is exciting to view the Lighthouse at night from the Colonial City, when the powerful lights are reflected into the sky.

When visiting the Columbus Lighthouse, make a stop at Los Tres Ojos and then the National Aquarium. Los Tres Ojos is an impressive 50-foot deep cave with three lagoons surrounded by stalagmites and lush vegetation, five minutes from the Lighthouse. The National Aquarium, also five minutes away, is a medium-sized aquarium where the main attraction is the huge fish tank with a Plexiglas tunnel passing through it.

With about 2 million square meters, the Santo Domingo Botanical Gardens is the largest in the Caribbean. The park is viewable by small train. Within are exhibits of the natural flora of the island and areas dedicated to palm trees, orchids and exotic plants. Also on the grounds is what was once the largest floral clock in the world. Those who have visited Japan will agree that the Japanese Garden here is one of the most lovely in the world.

The well-kept Santo Domingo Botanical Gardens is well worth the visit if you love nature. Other city parks worth a visit are the Mirador del Sur Park and the Mirador del Norte Park (for bicycling, skating, jogging and kite-flying).

Santo Domingo is home to the V Centenario Horse Race Track, with capacity for up to 15,000 race enthusiasts. A perfect view of the Caribbean can be seen while watching the thoroughbreds speed around the one mile course. Nearby is the Las Americas International Speed Racing Course where competitions are held several times a year attracting regional racers.

West of the City, the Santo Domingo Go Kart facility is right on the Malecon (seafront drive) in front of the Feria Ganadera and it hosts several go kart competitions a year.

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