Architectural tourism in Santo Domingo

Wherever they travel, we travel every street and every place where we stop, is architecture. If we think of architecture not only as a space that meets user needs, but as the space is being transported, awareness and guidance within a particular territory, making this tour an experience that makes the environment in which consent is.


Here in Dominican Republic are examples of what architectural tourism such as in the colonial zone we can find several architectural works that are tourist attractions, some of these are:


Alcázar de Colón

Baluarte El Conde

Altar de la Patria

Puerta del Conde

Parque Independencia

Calle El Conde

Casa de Juan Pablo Duarte

Casa de Nicolás de Ovando

Catedral Primada de América

Colegio de Gorjón

Convento Santa Clara

Escalinata de Las Damas

Fortaleza de Santo Domingo

Fuerte de El Invencible

Iglesia La Altagracia

Iglesia Las Mercedes

Museo de Las Casas Reales

Museo Naval de las Atarazanas

Panteón Nacional

Parque Colón

Parque Independencia

Puerta de la Misericordia

Reales Atarazanas

Restos de Antiguas Mural

I hope you enjoy your visit to our site. Learn about the Colonial Zone and the unique culture and customs of the friendly people of Dominican Republic. Find out more about our island (we also have information about other parts of this diverse country to see and experience). Then join us here on your next vacation and find out why we are one of the happiest countries in the world according to the Happy Planet Index.

By: Angely Duran

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The Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración

The Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración is a monument in the city of Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic. It was originally built during the dictatorship of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in 1944 as "Trujillo's Monument to Peace." He ordered its construction in his own honor. Yet, symbolically the monument was built for the centennial of the Dominican War of Independence, which was fought in 1844 to gain sovereignty from Haiti.

After Trujillo's assassination in 1961, the government changed the name of the monument to, "Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración" (Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration). So it is now dedicated to the heroes of the Dominican Restoration War, fought from 1863 to 1865 against Dominican Colonist and Spanish forces. The heroes include, but are not limited to; Francisco del Rosario Sánchez and Gregorio Luperón.

The monument is located on a hill in the middle of Santiago, with spectacular views of the city and surrounding mountains. It also has a surrounding park and it is an attractive place at night where people go to relax.


The Alcázar de Colón

The Alcázar de Colón, located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, is the oldest Viceregal residence in America, and forms part of the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo World Heritage Site. The building houses the ¨Museo Alcázar de Diego Colón¨, whose collection exhibits the Caribbean's most important ensemble of European late medieval and Renaissance works of art, which were acquired in the 1950s. The Tapestry collection (spanning from the 15th to 17th centuries) is particularly important and unique in the Caribbean, and includes pieces produced by the Flemish Van Den Hecke family from cartouches created by Charles Le Brun. The Alcázar is the most visited museum in Santo Domingo.

The palace is an impressive construction of coralline blocks that once housed some fifty rooms and a number of gardens and courtyards, although what remains today is about half the size it once was. It was built under Diego Colón, the son of Christopher Columbus; when he became Viceroy of La Española and the Indies in 1509, he ordered the construction of a family home and governor’s mansion between 1510 and 1512.

During the early Spanish colonial period, the mansion occupied a very important place in history. It was from here that many expeditions of conquest and exploration were planned. In 1586, the palace was sacked by Sir Francis Drake and his forces. As the influence of Santo D. waned, the house fell into ruins, and by the mid-18th century was abandoned and in danger of rotting away. It was rescued and extensively restored between 1955 and 1957.



Faro a Colón

Faro a Colón is a monument located in Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic, in tribute to Christopher Columbus.

Construction began in 1986 using plans drawn by Scottish architect J.L. Gleave in 1931, in time for the 500th anniversary of the Discovery of America, the monument was inaugurated in 1992. It was funded by the Latin American states and the total cost of construction was approximately $70 million.

The monument features projecting beams of light, forming a cross shape, which are so powerful they can be seen from Puerto Rico.

Containing what are purported to be the remains of Columbus, the monument is both a mausoleum and a museum showcasing objects including a boat from Cuba and Columbian jewelry. Constructed of concrete, the monument is 680 feet (210 m) long, its architecture is cross-shaped and represents the Christianization of America.

By: Linette Montas.

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Burl Khalifa

Burj Khalifa is a skyscraper located in Dubai and is the tallest skyscraper in the world, at 829.84 m (2,723 ft) and has 163 floors. Construction began on 21 September 2004, and was finished on January 2010. The total cost for the project was about US$1.5 billion and for the entire "Downtown Dubai" development, US$20 billion.

The design of Burj Khalifa is derived from patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture. According to the structural engineer, Bill Baker of SOM, the building's design incorporates cultural and historical elements particular to the region. The Y-shaped plan is ideal for residential and hotel usage, with the wings allowing maximum outward views and inward natural light.

A 304 room Armani Hotel, the first of four by Armani, occupies 15 of the lower 39 floors. The hotel was supposed to open on 18 March 2010 but after several delays the hotel finally opened the public on 27 April 2010. The corporate suites and offices were also supposed to open from March onwards but the hotel and observation deck remain the only parts of the building which are open.

The sky lobbies on the 43rd and 76th floors will house swimming pools. [57] Floors through to 108 will have 900 private residential apartments (which, according to the developer, sold out within eight hours of being on the market). An outdoor zero-entry swimming pool will be located on the 76th floor of the tower. Corporate offices and suites fill most of the remaining floors, except for a 122nd, 123rd and 124th floor where the At.mosphere restaurant, sky lobby and an indoor and outdoor observation deck is located respectively. Burj Khalifa will receive its first residents from February 2010. They will be among the first of 25,000 people who will live there.

By: Jonathan Duran

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