Quick History Stops: Gascue, Santo Domingo
Back in June 2023, I visited the sector of Gascue in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. Also spelled Gazcue, this historic neighborhood is adjacent to Zona Colonial [Colonial Zone] and home to federal government buildings, museums, and public art. This area reminded me of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. I previously wrote about my visit to Museo de Arte Moderno de la República Dominicana [Museum of Modern Art of the Dominican Republic] and Museo del Hombre Dominicano [Museum of the Dominican Man], two museums in this area.
Government Buildings & Museums
Palacio Policía Nacional [Palace of National Police]. The police website created an incredible, detailed, 34 page white paper written by Colonel Dr. Pablo Antonio Castro Ramirez in 2008. The paper covers the history of the police beginning with the Roman Empire, detailing early Catholic kingdoms, and describing the Dominican Republic from early colonization to the present at the time of writing. Highlights from the paper include the precursors to the National Police force such as la Santa Hermandad Vieja [Old Holy Brotherhood] created by Alfonso VI de Castilla in the 11th century and reorganized by Isabel I de Castilla, the French and American occupations, and the creation of the National Police in 1936 at the order of Trujillo. While the paper is in Spanish, interested readers can easily translate the full document into their (slightly clunky) language of choice using the Google Translate Documents feature.
Banco Central, the central bank of the Dominican Republic, also houses a museum, El Museo Numismático y Filatélico. In simple English, this museum has a collection of coins, paper money, medals, and stamps. The bank was opened in 1947, while the museum opened in 1985. I loved the concrete lattice creating the windows on the front of the building. Down the road is Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Prof. Eugenio de Jesus Marcano focuses on conservation and biodiversity in the Dominican Republic. If the name of the professor sounds familiar, it’s because he also was instrumental in founding Jardín Botánico de Santiago Profesor Eugenio de Jesús Marcano Fondeur, which I had visited a few days before. In the same plaza is Museo de Historia y Geografia, where visitors can learn the history of the Dominican from early colonization to the present.
Statues & Public Art
Near the government buildings and museums are many statues, especially depicting famous figures from Dominican history. A pair of matching busts, one near Banco Central and the other by the museums, features Pedro Henriquez Ureña. He was the son of Salomé Ureña Henriquez, a poet and educator during the Restoration who was honored with a mural in the museum at Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración, along with a street named in her honor in Santo Domingo. Henriquez Ureña was a writer and linguist, and he is buried at Panteón de la Patria among other Dominican heroes.
A statue of Dominican politician and modernist poet, Fabio Fiallo, stood on a pedestal near the museums. Born during the Restoration, he spoke out against the American occupation of the Dominican from 1916 to 1924. One of his nephews was fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, who was born Óscar Arístides Renta Fiallo.
Another statue on a pedastal featured Manuel de Jesús Galván, a politician born during the French occupation, survived the War of Independence, and had a successful political career during the Restoration. He wrote the historical fiction novel Enriquillo loosely based on the life of a Taíno cacique who leads a rebellion against Spain. A statue of Enriquillo stands in front of Museo del Hombre Dominicano. Galván is buried in Catedral Primada de América.
Two other familiar faces included a statue to Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes and favorite Dominican patriot Juan Pablo Duarte. While de Cervantes spent his life in Spain, his famous novel Don Quixote makes him popular in the Spanish speaking world. Another statue in his honor sits in a park across from the Malecón de Santo Domingo. This statue also illustrates scenes from his works. As for Duarte, I have talked about him extensively during this series on the Dominican Republic. He is still “Padre de la Patria” [Father of the Fatherland] and a beloved leader during the War of Independence.
When looking for a full day of history not far from the bus station, a chance to get away from the crowds, or to escape the heat of the day, this is the perfect opportunity to visit many museums and see plenty of art.