Quick History Stops: Calles de Santo Domingo, Part 1

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This is the penultimate post to the series on my trip to the Dominican Republic in June 2023! I spent several days in the capital, Santo Domingo, and visited many historic sites. The streets, or calles in Spanish, of Ciudad Colonial and nearby neighborhoods were filled with informative signage about churches, historic figures, and art.

Calle Mercedes

According to official signage on the side of the building, stone mason Rodrigo de Liendo constructed Iglesia Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes [Church of Our Lady of Mercies], a convent church, between 1527 and 1555. In 1653, Pedro Portillo added the first addition, while Pedro de la Rosa added a second addition in 1917. After the Trujillo Era, from 1968 to 1972, the government funded the latest restoration of the building. The sign also claims that the church has the only gothic style arcade on buildings in the Americas.

Entrance to Iglesia de las Mercedes; a tall stone building with an open door into the sanctuary. Above the door is an elaborate stone façade with a state of Mary resting above the door. Inside the sanctuary are pews and another Mary on the altar. Entrance to Fundación Dominicana de Desarrollo; a whitewashed building with a dark wooden door surrounded by red brick. A small shuttered window is on the second story above the door, and a small door with a tiny balcony is to the right on the second story. Statue of Padre Pio; a man wearing a Capuchin habit and holding out his hands

In the nearby courtyard stands a statue of Padre Pio, an Italian Capuchin monk and saint in the Catholic Church who lived from 1887 to 1968. Also on Calle Mercedes is the headquarters for Fundación Dominicana de Desarrollo [Dominican Development Foundation], created in 1966 to aid economic recovery and stability. The foundation moved to its current building on August 17, 1972. Why that specific date? “Himno Nacional Dominicano”, the national anthem of the Dominican, was sung for the first time in the building on August 17, 1883.

Calle El Conde

On the east end of Calle El Conde is Casa de la Rectoría [House of the Rectory], once the home of the nearby parish priest. According to a sign on the building, it was constructed in the 16th century set of three houses. It later became the single building at the beginning of the 20th century. This building was last renovated in 2003. After crossing Calle Las Damas, walkers come to Escuela Nacional de Artes Visuales [National School of Visual Arts] and Galeria de Arte CODAP (Colegio Dominicano de Artistas Plasticos) [Art Gallery of the Dominican School of Plastic Artists]. These spaces provide classes for local artists and host regular shows.

Casa de la Rectoría; looking up at a yellow, two story building with double arch windows on the upper story and the top of the arched entrance on the ground floor. Escuela Nacional de Artes Visuales letters on the side of the building Gates to Escuela Nacional de Artes Visuales; a pair of art deco, metal gates fitted between a pair of columns under and arched entryway Entrance to Galeria de Arte CODAP; a light pink painted building with three vinyl signs. Visual cafe on the left, a temporary exhibit in the center and CODAP on the right

Farther along the street, among local shops and restaurants, are statues of Dominican heroes. A bust depicted Bartolomé Colón [Bartholomew Columbus], the younger brother of Cristóbal Colón [Christopher Columbus], who came to the Dominican in 1494 and led the first European style council government. A statue of Colonel Francisco Alberto Caamaño Deñó depicted the military leader who briefly became president of the Dominican Republic during the Civil War of 1965. His right hand was raised to salute the people. At the far west end of Calle El Conde in Plaza Patrótica Francisco del Rosário Sanchez is a bust of the plaza’s namesake. Sanchez was the second leader of the Dominican Republic after Juan Pablo Duarte and was buried at the Panteón de la Patria. The nearby Puerta del Conde [Conde Gate] marked the spot where Sanchez revealed the first Dominican flag on February 27, 1844.

Bust of Bartolomé Colón on Calle El Conde; he wears a helmet and military uniform Statue of Colonel Francisco Alberto Caamaño Deñó on Calle El Conde; he wears an active military uniform and salutes with his right hand Bust of Francisco del Rosário Sanchez at Puerta del Conde; a man wearing a suit and bowtie

Plaza María de Toledo

Located in an alley between Calle Las Damas and Calle Isabel La Católica, Plaza María de Toledo honors the wife of Diego Colón [James Columbus], son of Cristóbal Colón. Signage in the plaza (available in English and Spanish) explained that María de Toledo was the highest ranking Spanish noble in the Americas at the time of her arrival, as the king, Ferdinand II, was her cousin. She introduced high fashion to the island, defended the rights of Indiginous people, and retained her titles and property after the death of her husband.

Plaza María de Toledo; a plaza of red brick pavers with a two-story, 16th century stone building in the background Statue of María de Toledo; a short, white statue of a woman wearing a 16th century dress and a cape.