Built in 1510 by Charles V, this is the first convent of the Dominican order founded in the Americas. It's also where Father Bartolomé de las Casas – the famous chronicler of Spanish atrocities committed against indigenous peoples – did most of his writing. The vault of the chapel, remarkable for its stone zodiac wheel carved with mythological and astrological representations, is worth a look. On the walls are various paintings of religious figures, including Pope St Pius V.
Convento de los Dominicos
Santo Domingo
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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The first stone of this cathedral, the oldest standing in the Western hemisphere, was set in 1514 by Diego Columbus, son of the great explorer (the ashes…
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0.46 MILES
Designed in the Gothic-Mudéjar transitional style, this was the early-16th-century residence of Columbus’ son, Diego, and his wife, Doña María de Toledo…
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Museo Memorial de la Resistencia Dominicana
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For those interested in the details of one of the darkest periods of Dominican history, this austere memorial honors Dominicans who fought against the…
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Reserva Antropológica Cuevas del Pomier
17.04 MILES
Visiting this reserve is like reading a history book written in stone. There are 57 limestone caves in the area 10km north of San Cristóbal, five of which…
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A long tree-filled corridor atop an enormous limestone ridge, this park is riddled with caves, some as big as airplane hangars. One of the caves has been…
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This is the New World's oldest colonial military edifice. The site, at the meeting of the Río Ozama and Caribbean, was selected by Fray Nicolás de Ovando…
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Built in the Renaissance style during the 16th century, this building was the longtime seat of Spanish authority for the Caribbean region, housing the…
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16.08 MILES
San Cristóbal's strangest sight, currently used as the National Penitentiary School, was built on Trujillo’s orders for himself and his family in 1947 (at…
Nearby Santo Domingo attractions
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This small art gallery, in a renovated 16th-century home, features ever-changing exhibits of colonial and contemporary art. A shady courtyard at the back…
2. Capilla de la Tercera Orden Dominica
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Built in 1729 and the only colonial structure in Santo Domingo that remains fully intact. These days the building is used by the office of the archbishop…
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This museum is located in the Casa de Tostado – the beautifully restored, 16th-century home of writer Francisco Tostado. It's interesting as much for the…
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A lively cultural space run by the Spanish embassy, this institute regularly hosts art exhibits, film festivals and musical concerts, all with a Spanish…
5. Iglesia de la Regina Angelorum
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Paid for by a woman who donated her entire fortune to construct this monument for the cloistered Dominican Sisters, this church was built toward the end…
6. Catedral Primada de América
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The first stone of this cathedral, the oldest standing in the Western hemisphere, was set in 1514 by Diego Columbus, son of the great explorer (the ashes…
0.14 MILES
Thorough exhibits on larimar – a rare, light-blue mineral found only in the remote southwestern mountains of the Dominican Republic – have signage in…
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Home to the first nunnery in the New World, built in 1552. Years after being sacked by Drake and his men (who apparently hated all things Catholic), it…