Constructed during the first half of the 16th century, the church was sacked by Drake and his men and reconstructed on numerous occasions following earthquakes and hurricanes. The church is remarkable for its pulpit, which is sustained by a support in the shape of a serpent demon. The intricate baroque altarpiece is carved from tropical hardwood. Of the group of buildings that pay homage to the Virgin Mary, only the cloister adjacent to the church is in original condition.
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes
Santo Domingo
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.28 MILES
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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0.45 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
0.15 MILES
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
16.85 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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3.93 MILES
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…
0.38 MILES
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…
0.36 MILES
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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15.95 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
0.12 MILES
In 1784 Spain ordered that the Iglesia de San Miguel be turned into a hospital for slaves. The decree, however, was never followed. Note the appealing…
0.14 MILES
Completed in 1650, but altered several times since, this church was erected beside a hospital that treated people with infectious diseases. The church was…
3. Museo Memorial de la Resistencia Dominicana
0.15 MILES
For those interested in the details of one of the darkest periods of Dominican history, this austere memorial honors Dominicans who fought against the…
4. Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen
0.17 MILES
Since 1596 this church has served as a hospital, a jail and an inn, but is now famous for its carved-mahogany figure of Jesus, which is worshipped every…
5. Ruinas del Hospital San Nicolás de Barí
0.19 MILES
Standing next to the bright, white Iglesia de la Altagracia are the ruins of the New World’s first hospital. They remain as a monument to Governor Nicolás…
0.22 MILES
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…
7. Iglesia de la Regina Angelorum
0.23 MILES
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…
8. Capilla de la Tercera Orden Dominica
0.23 MILES
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…