Cathedral in Santo Domingo (Santa Maria la Menor)
The Cathedral of Santo Domingo is an architectural landmark and the main Catholic church of the capital of the Dominican Republic. The cathedral is consecrated in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and holds the honorary status of “minor basilica”. It was built between 1514 and 1544 and is the oldest Christian cathedral in the Americas. In 1990, as part of the colonial city, the ancient church was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
General Information
In 1514, the son of the discoverer of the continent, Diego Columbus, laid the foundation stone of the future cathedral. However, it was not possible to start construction immediately, because the architect who came to the city changed his mind and sailed to Mexico. According to one version, the ashes of Christopher Columbus are buried inside the Cathedral in Santo Domingo. According to another assumption, he was buried in the Seville Cathedral in Spain. Nowadays, a monument to the brave navigator rises in the square in front of the cathedral.
.The temple is 54 meters long and 23 meters wide, and the vaulted ceilings are up to 16 meters high. The building is constructed of golden-colored coral limestone from local quarries. It is built in the tradition of Gothic and Baroque with a strong influence of Plateresco. This was the name given to the architectural style that became widespread in 16th century architecture and was called the Spanish Renaissance.
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The treasury of the Cathedral has rich collections of antique furniture, carved statues, silverware, liturgical utensils and jewelry. One of the main values of the Christian temple is considered to be the painting “Madonna in the Chapel”, painted in the first half of the 16th century.
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Nowadays, the Cathedral of Santo Domingo is active and regularly holds masses. Its doors are open to tourists from Monday to Saturday from 8.00 to 17.00, and on Sundays from 12.00 to 17.00. Another attraction of the city, the ancient Osama Fortress, is located 200 meters from the cathedral.
.How to get there
The Cathedral in Santo Domingo stands in the historic part of the city. From the cathedral, it is 0.6 km to the Terminal Don Diego ferry pier, located at the mouth of the Rio Ozama River. The nearest bus stop “Calle Las Mercedes” is 1 km from the cathedral, while the nearest metro station “Joaquín Balaguer” is 3 km away.
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