Dominican Craftmanship and City Tour
Santiago de los Caballeros is located in the North-central region, in the heart of the fertile Cibao Valley. It is the country’s second largest city and is more traditional than the national capital, Santo Domingo. Whether founded in 1494 by Christopher Columbus (as some historians claim) or in 1495 by his brother Bartholomew, Santiago was among the first European settlements in America. In 1504, 30 caballeros (gentlemen) of the Order of St. James (Santiago) moved from nearby La Isabela to Santiago, henceforth known as Santiago de los Caballeros.
After being destroyed by an earthquake in 1562, the city was rebuilt a few miles away, where Nibaje Stream meets the Yaque; ruins of the old city are still visible in the district of San Francisco de Jacagua. Santiago survived numerous earthquakes and fires to serve repeatedly as the republic’s capital.
During this tour we will visit La Feria Artisan Center, located at the Duarte highway where we will se how the clay containers are made, as well as the rest of the range of resulting objects of the work with the cooked mud.
Then we will return to Santiago and we will cross the city visiting:
•The Cathedral of Santiago: It was built in 1895 by Onofre de Lora, an architect native to the city. It is a neoclassical construction with gothic elements. It was constructed in the XIX century and it’s distinguished, above all, because of its glass work, its carved mahogany, and because it has inside the crypts of the different heroes from the period of the Republican Restoration.
•The Duarte Park: It is located between Calle El Sol and 30 de Marzo surrounded by buildings of cultural, religious and commercial interest. Like in many Dominican towns the center of the park has a public summer-house that served as an encounter point for social and musical events. Unfortunately these days this tradition has been lost.
•The Recreation Center: This building from the XIX Century was the most exclusive social club during the Trujillo Era, which the “generalisimo” himself visited very often during the countless parties that were celebrated on his honor.
•The Consistorial Palace: its one of the most ancient buildings of the historical center. It is currently used as a display center of important artistic expositions and cultural activities.
•The Santiago Cultural Center: It’s the place were cultural manifestations and arts related activities takes place. In this cultural center you will always find artistic expositions, concerts, cultural exchanges, etc. It also serves as teaching center.
•The Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration: On a hill overlooking Santiago is a 67 meters (220 ft) high marble monument. Construction of the monument began in 1944 on the orders of then-dictator Rafael Trujillo. He named it the "Monument of the Peace of Trujillo". Trujillo was assassinated in 1961, after which the monument was renamed the "Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration", in remembrance of the Independence Restoration War of 1863, in which the Dominican Republic regained its independence from Spain. Inside there are decorative murals done by the famous Spanish painter Vela Sanetty, and there is also a stair with 365 steps that reach to the top.
•Grand Theater of El Cibao: It is a replica -with minor differences- of the National Theater of Santo Domingo. It has two rooms: The Restoration, and Julio Alberto Hernandez. It’s covered with travertine marble. It has the most advanced theatrical system; it also has four formidable sculptures of the famous Spanish sculptor Don Juan Avalo. The walls are carved with national mahogany. We will observe this theater from the bus.
•Centro León Jimenes: This Museum is located at 27 de Febrero Avenue. It displays elements of the Caribbean and Dominican cultures, Natural Dominican History, Native Indian Evolution and Culture. Also, it periodically hosts different art exhibitions of Dominican and international artists. The museum is under the authority of the León Jimenes Foundation (owner of the Cervecería Nacional Dominicana as well as the Industria de Tabaco León Jimenes).
