Museo de las Casas Reales

The Museo de las Casas Reales is a historic building in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. Translated, the name means Museum of the Royal Houses. The name refers to the fact that the building has been home to the original two institutions:

  • The royal audience / Real Audiencia
  • The palace of the governor or the captain - general's

Today it is a museum dedicated to the history of the Dominican Republic 1492-1821. This period corresponds to the Spanish colonial era on the island of Hispaniola.

General Description

It is a cultural monument. Its importance has been formally confirmed when it was provided as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo under protection. It is located within sight of the Alcázar de Colón above the Río Ozama.

History

The building was built in 1511 under the Spanish King Ferdinand II ( Aragon ), two years after Diego Columbus (Diego Colon ), son of the discoverer Christopher Columbus, used by the king as governor of Santo Domingo was. The Governor is dedicated to the one half of the building. In order to limit the power of the governor, the royal audience / Real Audiencia was created. They resided in the other part of the building. This royal audience was a very powerful organization that has played a role, among others, the introduction of slavery, by becoming a powerful lobby of the large landowners. Even 40 years after the founding of the city of Santo Domingo and with it the island of Hispaniola had already lost its meaning again from the perspective of the colonial masters Spain: The initial gold discoveries proved to be very productive. The gold and silver booty that could be made in Mexico and Peru, led to there own captain - generals were bestallt. Accordingly, the building enjoys especially as evidence of this early period of colonialism general interest.

Architecture

What is striking is the white stone or clay, from which the buildings. The facade is practically without any color. Living forms hardly be found. This creates a very simple impression. Contrast, a much friendlier act the courtyards. They are planted alive and are often used for festivals and events. The ornamental details of the architecture, which can be found there, Gothic and even the Plateresque can assign style. The building, however, was modernized several times:

Accordingly, not every detail of the original architecture are again.

Exhibition

While the building is primarily a testimony of the first five decades of the XVI. Represents the century, the museum of the entire colonial Santo Domingo is dedicated to the separation from the Spanish mainland in 1821 by a revolution of the French-speaking western part of the island, now known as Haiti. The exhibition gives the impression that they would be targeted at children or visitors who had previously no opportunity to deal with the colonial history. In most cases, the level of detail of a commercial tour guide is not exceeded in any case. The following topics are - usually in a designated space - viewed:

  • Discovery of America by Columbus
  • Conquest of the island by the Spaniards
  • Christianization of the slaves and the few surviving Indians
  • Piracy and smuggling
  • Economy (sugar, rum, tobacco )
  • Santa Barbara
  • Pharmacy
  • History of ceramics
  • Home life
  • Transport and Traffic
  • Weapons and military
  • Fiscal accounting
  • Court
  • Protocol
  • Hall of hearing / Salón del Oidor Principal ( with waiting room )
  • Hall of the Captains -General ( with vestibule )

In contrast to the rather low level of detail in most of the topics to be considered when considering the pharmaceutically relevant substances 51 substances. However, this is an exception. Also in relation to the exhibits can be stated that - no outstanding exhibits will be - apart from the building itself.

Carlos Felipe Morales
588125
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