The great arches
Stone and red brick.
Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · -wuppertaler — CC BY 4.0
The San Francisco Monastery Ruins are among the most important ruins in the Dominican Republic, in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo on the World Heritage List. This was the first monastery in the New World, and its huge stone and brick arches stand open to the sky, giving a powerful image of the first years of Spanish presence in the Americas. Work began under Nicolás de Ovando when the Franciscans arrived in 1508, finishing in 1560. Liendo began the main church in 1544, completing it in 1556. The English privateer Francis Drake sacked it in 1586, repairs ran until 1664 and earthquakes in 1673 and 1751 caused further damage. The explorer Alonso de Ojeda is said to have been buried at its entrance. You enter by a red stair to a brick-paved court, surrounded by great arches in stone and red brick with traces of plaster ornament. You see a roofless church with trees above its walls, a ruined square tower with a narrow stair and a small side chapel of the Third Order, while green lawns with old foundations stretch to the edge of the district. It is 4.8 km in a straight line from modern central Santo Domingo, and you can walk there from Calle El Conde. Restoration may be under way, with some parts in scaffolding, so ask when you arrive. Do not climb the walls, which are old and fragile, and watch the uneven ground. Bring a hat and water, as shade is scarce, and early morning suits the heat.
Stone and red brick.
Trees above the walls.
A narrow stair.
Colonial City, Santo Domingo
Colonial City of Santo DomingoThe capital's old heart and the oldest continuously inhabited European settlemen2 minutes walk
Museo de las Casas RealesThe oldest seat of Spanish power in the New World, a sixteenth-century stone bui5 minutes walk4.7
Alcázar de ColónThe first fortified European palace built in the Americas, raised by Diego Colón5 minutes walk4.5
Santo Domingo Cathedral and Parque ColónThe oldest standing cathedral in the Americas, begun in 1504 and completed in 156 minutes walk4.9
Fortaleza OzamaThe oldest European military building in the Americas, built by the Spanish betw8 minutes walk4.5The English privateer Francis Drake in 1586.
Yes, from Calle El Conde in the Colonial City.