The Museo de las Casas Reales (English: ''Museum of the Royal Houses'') is one of the important cultural monuments built during the colonial era in
Hispaniola, now the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
. It is located in the
Colonial district of
Santo Domingo
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, population_density_km2 = auto
, timezone = AST (UTC −4)
, area_code_type = Area codes
, area_code = 809, 829, 849
, postal_code_type = Postal codes
, postal_code = 10100–10699 ( Distrito Nacional)
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.
It was the Palace of the Viceroy of Santo Domingo and it is the first (oldest) headquarters of Spanish power in the New World.
The building dates back to the sixteenth century, and was built to house the administrative offices of the Spanish colonies in the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World.
Along with th ...
, at the time any trespassers would be sentenced to death.
It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site called Colonial City of Santo Domingo.
History
The palace was built by orders of the
Spanish Crown, represented by King
Ferdinand II of Aragon, on October 5 of 1511 to house the main government offices of the colony in two interconnected buildings (hence the plural Casas Reales). In the first (South) section was the
Royal Audiencia
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a ci ...
, the first court of the
New World
The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...
, as well as the office of the
Comptroller General. The second (North) section was used by the successive
Viceroys, Governors and Captains-General.
The original architectural structure has undergone a number of changes through the country's history. In 1807, during the period of French sovereignty over the Eastern part of Hispaniola, French general Louis Ferrand gave the facade a classical architectural style. During the last year of government of President
Carlos Felipe Morales, some changes were made to use the building as the Governmental Palace. The Presidency later moved to a mansion on the site of today's
Palacio Nacional. During the government of
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ( , ; 24 October 189130 May 1961), nicknamed ''El Jefe'' (, "The Chief" or "The Boss"), was a Dominican dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from February 1930 until his assassination in May 1961. He ser ...
other modifications were made in order to house government offices. Trujillo's office, and an extensive collection of arms and armor that he purchased, remain on display.
The building was later restored to its original 16th-century appearance and was established on October 18, 1973, during the administration of President
Joaquín Balaguer
Joaquín Antonio Balaguer Ricardo (1 September 1906 – 14 July 2002) was a Dominican politician, scholar, writer, and lawyer. He was President of the Dominican Republic serving three non-consecutive terms for that office from 1960 to 196 ...
,
as a museum to highlight the history, life and customs of the inhabitants of the Spanish colony. However, it was not officially opened until May 31, 1976. Attending the opening ceremony was King
Juan Carlos I of Spain. A self-guided tour giving a sequential history of the island includes a portable audio speaker that is available in various languages. It is currently one of the most visited sites in
Santo Domingo
, total_type = Total
, population_density_km2 = auto
, timezone = AST (UTC −4)
, area_code_type = Area codes
, area_code = 809, 829, 849
, postal_code_type = Postal codes
, postal_code = 10100–10699 ( Distrito Nacional)
, webs ...
.
Rooms
* Comptroller-General
* Legislation
* Secretaries of the Audiencia
* Office of the Chief Judge
* Waiting Hall
* Chamber of the Chief Judge
* Vestibule of the Captain
* Office of the Captain General
* Family Life
* Historical Ceramics
* Military I
* Military II
* Great Hall of the Governors
Gallery
Courtyard
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File:Museo Casas Reales CCSD 11 2018 4342.jpg
Weapons and armor
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See also
*
List of colonial buildings in Santo Domingo
This is a list of the preserved colonial buildings in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic.
Santo Domingo is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas; for this reason, according to the UNESCO, many buildin ...
*
Ciudad Colonial (Santo Domingo)
*
Captaincy General of Santo Domingo
The Captaincy General of Santo Domingo ( es, Capitanía General de Santo Domingo ) was the first colony in the New World, established by Spain in 1492 on the island of Hispaniola. The colony, under the jurisdiction of the Real Audiencia of Sant ...
*
Royal Audiencia of Santo Domingo
The Real Audiencia of Santo Domingo was the first court of the Spanish crown in America. It was created by Ferdinand V of Castile in his decree of 1511, but due to disagreements between the governor of Hispaniola, Diego Colon and the Crown, ...
*
History of the Dominican Republic
The recorded history of the Dominican Republic began in 1492 when the Genoa-born navigator Christopher Columbus, working for the Crown of Castile, happened upon a large island in the region of the western Atlantic Ocean that later came to be kno ...
References
External links
Ministerio De EducaciónViajarHistoria Dominicana
{{Authority control
Museums in the Dominican Republic
Buildings and structures in Santo Domingo
Tourist attractions in Santo Domingo
Museums established in 1973
Ciudad Colonial (Santo Domingo)
1973 establishments in the Dominican Republic