A House of Stone
La Casa del Cordon translates to The House of the Cord, and you can clearly see why from this view. It was one of the first stone houses in America and almost certainly the first one with two storeys. The cord, which is depicted at the entreance, is associated with the Franciscans. Its construction is said to have begun in 1503.
It has been the home of famous historical figures in colonial Latin America. Interestingly, Christopher Columbus' brother Diego and his feisty progressive wife, Maria de Toledo (the King's sister), resided there briefly.
Naturally, it was also ransacked by the pirate Francis Drake. This dude really got around, and we even have a street named after him here in Vancouver. Goes to show that one man's villain is another's hero.
Interestingly, the house contains a cultural centre dedicated to Taino culture and colonial history: Centro Cultural Taíno Casa del Cordón, where you can find the neat little shrine recessed on the wall. I did not get to visit because it was already closed and it was my last night in Santo Domingo.
I would love to find out if this was there originally or was placed at a later time. Fascinating!
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Thank you ✨
What a beautiful place! How nice that you bring us these jewels!
It's amazing that there's so much history in this place, but I don't think many people outside the country know about it. Tourists usually go there for the beaches, but for me, this cultural treasure is much more important. The beaches are nice too though 😀
I think it's good to have a bit of everything, I love history and even more the old buildings, I totally agree... but most people want the beach haha.
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