Santo Domingo Colonial Churches

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 - Santo Domingo Colonial Churches Santo Domingo is a city with several different places of worship. The city is home to a number of beautiful churches rich in history and religious heritage. Also, the churches are all ideally situated close to one another, thereby making it possible to view them all in one trip. Guide Location: Dominican» Santo Domingo # of Attractions: 10 Tour Duration: 2 hour(s) Travel Distance: 3.0 km Please note: This walk is also featured in the ios app "GPSmyCity: Walks and Articles with Offline Maps" on itunes App Store and the Android app "Santo Domingo Map and Walks" on Google Play. The apps provide GPS navigation to guide you from one tour stop to the next, so you will never be lost. The apps offer additional walking tours in Santo Domingo. Check them out! GPSmyCity offers self-guided walking tours in over 1,000 city around the world. Please visit gpsmycity.com for more walking tour offers. List of attractions included in this self-guided walking tour: A) Iglesia Santa Bárbara B) Ermita de San Antón C) Monasterio de San Francisco D) Iglesia de San Miguel E) Iglesia de las Mercedes F) Iglesia and Hospital de San Lazaro G) Iglesia and Convento Regina Angelorum H) Capilla de la Tercera Orden Dominica I) Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor J) Capilla de los Remedios Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 - A) Iglesia Santa Bárbara (must see) Iglesia Santa Bárbara is one of the most ancient churches, as it was built in 1537. The church features one main block with five additional branches. The inside is very beautiful, decorated with Gothic features and a ceiling ornamented with carved stones. Dominican hero Juan Pablo Duarte was baptized at Iglesia Santa Bárbara. Address: Mella Avenue, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Domincan Image Courtesy of Flickr and cosinezero B) Ermita de San Antón The chapel was built in 1502, although completely destroyed many years ago. Ermita de San Antón was than rebuilt to match the original appearance as close as possible. The religious building is small and old, yet more than worth your time in this very sacred establishment. Address: San Anton Place, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Image Courtesy of Flickr and DaGoaty C) Monasterio de San Francisco (must see) Monasterio de San Francisco in Santo Domingo de Guzman is a monastery that was built around 1508, with the arrival of the Franciscan fathers. The ruin is one of most important of the city. It is located in the Zona Colonial of Santo Domingo and has been declared a "heritage Dominican". The Monastery of San Francisco was one of the works of Nicolas de Ovando. Construction began with the arrival of the Franciscan fathers around 1508. It was the first monastery in the New World. The monastery was later hit by a hurricane. Construction began on the main part of the church in 1544 and was completed on July 23, 1556. In 1586 it was sacked by Francis Drake. Repairs were completed in 1664, but according to historians, the building was damaged by earthquakes in 1673 and 1751. Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 - According to historians, Alonso de Ojeda was buried at the main entrance to the monastery. His remains were moved to the former Convento Dominico on October 12, 1942. Also found were the remains of Bartholomew Columbus. During the Battle of Palo Hincado (1808) against the French, a piece of artillery was deployed on the roof. The vault was cut, and a timber platform was constructed. The building was used as a mental asylum from the 1880s until the 1930s. A hurricane at that time caused a lot of damage, which was never repaired. Currently, the ruins are used for social and cultural events and are cared for and protected by law and by the county of Efemérides. "(The above description is based on Wikipedia under Creative Common License)" Address: Restauration Street, Hostos Street, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Image Courtesy of Flickr and puroticorico. Sight description based on wikipedia D) Iglesia de San Miguel Iglesia de San Miguel is a small temple from the 18th century, which was established from a thatched chapel built somewhere in the 16th century. The royal treasurer of the colony, Don Miguel de Pasamonte, ordered the construction of the church. Iglesia de San Miguel has undergone a couple of major reconstructions, however still maintains its original qualities. Address: Jose Reyes Street, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Image Courtesy of Flickr and Hitchster E) Iglesia de las Mercedes (must see) Iglesia de las Mercedes was founded in 1549 and completed in 1555. Today, the church is one of the most well-known and most visited worship places in the city. Locals visit the church to worship the Virgen de Las Mercedes. The building is designed in Gothic style, and features a famous altar. Address: Las Mercedes Street, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 - Image Courtesy of Flickr and Sajomero in NYC F) Iglesia and Hospital de San Lazaro Iglesia and Hospital de San Lazaro was originally a venue for meditating, until it evolved into a hospital for people with low income. Jerónimo de Alcocer once supervised this hospital. In 1751, the hospital was destroyed by an earthquake but restored in 1880. Address: Restauracion Street, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Image Courtesy of Flickr and Ed Yourdon G) Iglesia and Convento Regina Angelorum Iglesia and Convento Regina Angelorum, like a lot of the churches in the area, has undergone some restoration. It is a very attractive building, designed in Gothic style and decorated with 17th century pieces of ornament. Upon entering the temple, visitors will note the beautiful wall composed of silver. Address: Padre Billini Street, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Image Courtesy of Flickr and shioshvili H) Capilla de la Tercera Orden Dominica The Capilla de la Tercera Orden Dominica was initially a section of the Iglesia y Convento de la Orden Dominica Entre la Capilla y la Iglesia in the 16th century. Originally constructed from wood and stones, the church now serves as offices for the minister. Address: Padre Billini Street, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 - Image Courtesy of Flickr and echiner1 I) Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor (must see) The Cathedral of Santa María la Menor in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo is dedicated to St. Mary of the Incarnation. It is the oldest cathedral in the Americas. The Cathedral is fronted with a golden-tinted coral limestone façade, the church combines elements of both Gothic and Baroque with some lavish plateresque styles as exemplified by the high altar chiseled out of silver. There is also a treasury which has an excellent art collection of ancient woodcarvings, furnishings, funerary monuments, silver, and jewelry. The Cathedral was consecrated by Pope Julius II in 1504 and its construction began in 1512 under the leadership of Bishop Fray García Padilla. The construction was carried out by Luis Moya. There are twelve side chapels, three aisles and a nave. The roof of the nave is pitched, while the aisles have cross vaulted ceilings.the Cathedral also has a treasury containing retablos, paintings, old woodwork, furniture, sculptures and tombstones. Address: Arzobispo Merino Street, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Lapo Luchini. Sight description based on wikipedia J) Capilla de los Remedios (must see) The chapel was built by Francisco Davila (also buried here), who had a lot of money. The chapel was a home for his relatives and the inside reflects that of a very rich owner. Outside, tourists will note a bell tower, created with stones. Address: Las Damas Street, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Image Courtesy of Flickr and puroticorico Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 -