Catedral Primada de América de Santo Domingo
Catedral Primada de América de Santo Domingo things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIDescription
Ratings
Posts
As a major factor in the decision for Ciudad Colonial to become a UNESCO world heritage site, the five hundred year old Gothic style cathedral offers audio tours in multiple languages, along with supporting a regular parish. To reach the tourist entrance, visitors enter La Plazoleta de los Curas [Little Plaza of the Priests], so called because this was a place for the clergy to gather. Catedral Primada de América was spectacular in scale, but its size was also its weakness when keeping the attention of the visitor. Even with the decently lighting, easy walking, wheelchair accessible, plenty of places to sit, and expertly recorded audio tour, the constant stream of icons and names caused sensory overload. Visitors from around the world easily fit in the space and enjoyed the chapels both at their own pace and in their own language. Some of these visitors were older children on class trips who could no longer concentrate once they arrived at the tenth chapel or later. While this priceless historic site is a must-see for anyone traveling to Santo Domingo, along with a pilgrimage for devout Catholics, the experience is not be fun for the average visitor under eighteen. The cathedral is open to visitors from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Tickets with an audio tour cost about RD$60 ($1.20 US). Only a few people at a time can purchase tickets from the inside booth, so one member of the party must go inside while the others wait in the plaza.
Abigail EpplettAbigail Epplett
10
Best known as the first cathedral of the Americas. The Cathedral of the Americas (Catedral Primada de America) is an imposing landmark overlooking Columbus Park in Santo Domingo’s historic district. Built-in the early 16th century, the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor is the oldest Catholic cathedral in the New World and among the finest examples of Gothic architecture outside Europe. The majestic building is unmissable thanks to its golden-tinted facade that’s even more impressive at sunrise and sunset. Behind its solid limestone walls are aisles under ornate vaulted ceilings, a great collection of early 16th-century paintings and colonial-era artifacts. Located in the Colonial Zone, the cathedral is one of Santo Domingo’s most famous religious sites and contains a large collection of woodcarving and religious artifacts. A functioning house of worship, the cathedral still holds mass regularly. You can also tour the interior of the cathedral and its grounds, either on a self-guided audio tour or during a guided sightseeing tour that also features other highlights in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo. There is a dress code to go inside. However, if you forget to dress appropriately, church employees will loan you a blanket or shawl to cover any exposed parts.
Sanjay GuptaSanjay Gupta
00
I was beyond belief when I went to visit the church yesterday! They charged me to let me in!!!!! This Cathedral, despite its historical background, is NOT a museum; this is an actual functioning church. The bench area was closed. There was no holy water available to venerate the saints properly. They only make the sacred water available before mass, which tourists are not allowed to go to because they can’t charge for mass, and they like to charge tourists. Since when did the Catholic Church charge a fee to enter the house of the Lord?! What was even more disturbing is the fact that you’re NOT allowed to worship during mass!!!! They shut the church to outsiders, and only the parishioners are permitted!!! Selective worship, denying services to Christ followers, and Catholics just for being visitors. I have had mass at the Milan Cathedral, St Pete’s Basilica, St Geronimo, etc., etc.!!! I have been to so many churches worldwide! It’s a disparage I have never heard of nor experienced. It’s greedy, unscrupulous, lucrative, and even predatory to cash a place of worship. It is morally wrong, unthinkable, and a sin. Just preposterous! The Eucharist is NOT exposed. Supposedly, it is there for adoration, but you’re unable to see it; therefore, it could be there, but more likely, it is not. Why are they hiding the Eucharist from the worshippers?! This monetary punishment to enter the church reminded me of Jesus and the merchants at the holy temple. Those were using the temple as a marketplace, selling doves and merchandise. This cathedral's circumstances present an immoral practice, even worse than the merchant's. The merchants in Jesus' days were selling their handmade merchandise; this cathedral is selling you God. The right to worship, the right to pray the rosary in his presence, and the right to meditate in a place of worship. The gospel says in Mathew 21: 12-17…"It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER,' but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN.” how can they get away with this? In the Dominican Republic, even the priest is a Tigre (Dominican slang for hustler in this context). How immoral and disheartening for one’s faith. Also, prices are $80 DP without audio and $100 with an audio-guided tour.
Lola MorganLola Morgan
10
Esta catedral, está en el centro de la zona La Catedral Primada de América, Catedral de Santo Domingo o Basílica Menor de Santa María de la Encarnación, es una catedral y basílica menor dedicada a Santa María de la Encarnación que se encuentra en la Ciudad Colonial de Santo Domingo, en República Dominicana. Su nombre oficial es Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora Santa María de la Encarnación o Anunciación. Está ubicada entre las calles Arzobispo Meriño e Isabela La Católica, junto al Parque Colón; quedando su puerta principal al oeste, frente a la calle Arzobispo Meriño, casi esquina Arzobispo Nouel. La catedral de Santo Domingo es la más antigua de América, construida por mandato del papa Julio II en 1504. Sede de la Arquidiócesis de Santo Domingo, su construcción comenzó en 1512, bajo el gobierno pastoral del primer obispo de Santo Domingo, fray García Padilla, que nunca llegó a la isla; sobre la base de planos del arquitecto Alonso de Rodríguez. La arquitectura del edificio de la catedral de Santo Domingo se caracteriza por estilo gótico con bóvedas nervadas, sólidas paredes y tres puertas, dos de ellas góticas en contraste con la tercera y principal de estilo gótico plateresco. La catedral contiene un vasto tesoro artístico constituido con retablos, cuadros (entre ellos una tabla de la Virgen de la Altagracia datada en 1523), ebanistería antigua, mobiliario, monumentos y lápidas funerarias, entre otros objetos. Se destacan los mausoleos de los arzobispos del período colonial, también es de mencionarse la lápida funeraria de Simón Bolívar, uno de los antecesores del Libertador. En la catedral se albergaron durante un tiempo los restos de Cristóbal Colón, los cuales se trasladaron en 1795 a la Catedral de La Habana y finalmente, entre 1898 y 1899, a la Catedral de Sevilla. El valioso trono arzobispal, de estilo plateresco está fechado en 1540. Formaba parte del coro bajo, desmantelado a finales del pasado siglo para colocar el monumento de mármol en que se guardaron los restos de Cristóbal Colón. La Catedral está construida con piedra calcárea, si bien algunos muros son de mampostería y ladrillos, y cuenta con doce capillas laterales, tres naves libre y una nave principal. La cubierta de la nave central es a dos aguas. Las de las naves laterales está constituida por bóvedas de crucería que se acusan al exterior, como si se tratara de cúpulas semiesféricas. La longitud mayor de la basílica es de 54 m en la nave central hasta el fondo del presbiterio. El ancho de las tres naves es de 23 m. La altura mayor de piso a bóveda alcanza los 16 metros, y el área construida sobrepasa los 3.000 metros cuadrados. Catorce capillas laterales fueron construidas a lo largo de la historia de la catedral.
DILCIA DIAZDILCIA DIAZ
00
The Cathedral is cool but you have to be careful with your guide if you ever want one. It is not necessary once you have an audio guidance included in all of the premises. The sir I am sharing his picture is awful and made my experience terrible at the ticket door, stopping me from getting into once he was with a group blocking the entrance (the group already had tickets and all) and saying that he makes the rules which is not true. I recorded how unpolite he was. I didn't get into, he made me don't wanna go at all.
Thais OliveiraThais Oliveira
00
I've been here a couple of times. It's a beautiful cathedral. It's the oldest standing cathedral in the Western Hemisphere built in the Spanish Colonial times. The architecture is great inside. There are little areas on the side with paintings, statues, carvings mostly in Latin. If you are in Santo Domingo, go visit this place. This whole street it's on has a lot of great sites to see and shops.
Craig ButlerCraig Butler
10
Nearby Attractions Of Catedral Primada de América de Santo Domingo
Columbus Park
Independence Park
Plaza de la Hispanidad or Spain
Sirena
Mercado Modelo
Supermercados Nacional
Duarte Park
Fortaleza Ozama
Alcázar de Colón
Plaza María de Toledo
Columbus Park
4.7
(7.3K)Click for details
Independence Park
4.6
(5.3K)Click for details
Plaza de la Hispanidad or Spain
4.7
(5.2K)Click for details
Sirena
4.3
(3.5K)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Catedral Primada de América de Santo Domingo
Jalao
Pat'e Palo European Brasserie
Buche Perico
M7
Maraca
El Buho Eatery
Cafetería El Conde de Peñalba
Restaurante Delicia
M Y Gourmet
CURCIO PIZZA AL TAGLIO
Jalao
4.5
(2.4K)$$
Click for details
Pat'e Palo European Brasserie
4.5
(1.9K)$$$
Click for details
Buche Perico
4.4
(1.6K)$$$
Click for details
M7
4.3
(1.4K)$$
Click for details
Reviews
Overview
4.8
(1.5K reviews)
Phone
+1 809-682-3848
Call
Website
cathedralofsantodomingo.com
Visit
Deep Dive
A deep dive into Catedral Primada de América de Santo Domingo
