Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Of special note is the
Room of the Caryatids
, in which 44 sculpted draped women rise like
columns in a hall lined with French mirrors and Baccarat chandeliers.
It's not regularly open to the public, nevertheless you may be able to wrangle a tour;
free and by appointment only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. No flip-flops, shorts or
T-shirts.
Palacio de Bellas Artes
(Palace of Fine Arts; 809-687-9131; Av Máximo Gómez)
This huge recently renovated neoclas-
sical building was used infrequently in the past for exhibitions and performances. Check
the weekend edition of local papers for events.
NOTABLE BUILDING
Outlying Neighborhoods
Some of these places are worth a visit as much for the taxi ride there and back as for the
sights themselves. A visit allows you to catch a glimpse of the Santo Domingo where or-
dinary people live and work. The shantytowns that ring much of the city are known as
Zona Apache - an allusion to the forbidden territory of the Old West in the US.
Faro a Colón
(Columbus Lighthouse; ext 251 809-592-1492; Parque Mirador del Este; admission RD$65;
9am-5:15pm Tue-Sun)
Resembling a cross between a Soviet-era apartment block and a Las
Vegas version of an ancient Mayan ruin, this massive monument is worth visiting for its
controversial and complicated history. Located on the east side of the Río Ozama, the
Faro's massive cement flanks stand some 10 stories high, forming the shape of a cross. At
the intersection of the cross' arms is a tomb, guarded by stern white-uniformed soldiers,
that purportedly contains Columbus' remains. Spain and Italy dispute that claim, however,
both saying
they
have the Admiral's bones.
Inside the monument a long series of exhibition halls display documents (mostly repro-
ductions) related to Columbus' voyages and the exploration and conquest of the Amer-
icas. The most interesting (though deeply ironic) displays are those sent by numerous Lat-
in American countries containing photos and artifacts from their respective indigenous
communities.
MONUMENT
