Altos de Chavón

Rate Altos de Chav?n, La Romana

  • 5 = Excellent

    Votes: 15 34.9%
  • 4

    Votes: 13 30.2%
  • 3 = OK

    Votes: 10 23.3%
  • 2

    Votes: 2 4.7%
  • 1 = Horrible

    Votes: 3 7.0%

  • Total voters
    43

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,368
3,150
113
Overall, how would you rate Altos de Chav?n?

(1 = Horrible, 3 = OK, 5 = Excellent)

Altos de Chavon Artists Village is a vibrant cultural community perched above the Chavon River. Cobblestone paths, coral stone fountains and terra cotta buildings create a magical effect in this village designed by Robert Coppa, an Italian architect who at the time was a Paramount movie set designer. He built it in the late 1970s to emulate a 15th century southern Italy-southern Spain village. Visitors today discover craft workshops, artists' studios, galleries and restaurants. Weddings are frequent at the St. Stanislaus Church, as few places can be more romantic than Altos de Chavon. The performing arts are showcased in the village's 5,000-seat amphitheater, inaugurated in 1982 by Frank Sinatra and is still attracting big name performers. Visit the Regional Museum of Archaeology, a small but wonderful display of the island's rich pre-Columbian heritage. The Art Gallery features contemporary art exhibitions.

Source: DR1 Travel: La Romana

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-NALs
 

ben jammin

Well-known member
Aug 3, 2007
648
160
63
visited but did not have time to browse as we were taking a boat from there. it is a beautiful place in a beautiful sight. if we would have had to walk back up the mountain(down was difficult enough) i would have given it a 3 but since we rode back in a taxi i give it a five;)
 

CFA123

Silver
May 29, 2004
3,512
413
83
I visited Altos de Chavon once, and unless there were a concert there I can't imagine a reason to go back.

Yes, it has a pretty view out over the river. Glad I saw it. But the overall artificial feeling of the construction and 'community' I found neither quaint nor enticing. Anyhow, the view gets a '5', but Altos de Chavon the 'community' - is it a place to return again and again? Not in my opinion. Rates a '1' from me.
 
Aug 19, 2004
572
30
0
Gulf & Western built it as part of a tax dodge and is a monument to the power and greed of multinationals - I find it all rather distasteful,

Made a recent visit to the site and found it to be deserted - the majority of the shops appeared to be selling the same over-priced stuff they had on offer 10 years ago. I would have expected a bit better from a so called "vibrant cultural community".

Overall vote "0"
 

sweetdbt

Bronze
Sep 17, 2004
1,574
70
0
I visited during the day, and would make the same observation as London_Calling. Virtually deserted and shops with overpriced merchandise. The ampitheatre is indeed impressive, and I can imagine that seeing a top notch musician like Juan Louis Guerra in concert there at night would be a memorable experience. That and the view are about all it has to offer IMHO. I gave it a 2.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
I agree with the last few comments, although it is still worth a visit for the sheer spectacle and megalomaniacal feat of having replicated a medieval Italian village in the Dominican countryside.

Generally though, a replica of a foreign thing is not what tourists want to see. I'm sure most would rather visit something authentically Dominican. A bit like all the alpine imagery in mountain resorts in the DR and other Latin American countries.
 
Aug 19, 2004
572
30
0
Casa de Campo is an awesome place, but I get goosebumps thinking about how much better - how much more - it may have come to be had Charles Bluhdorn lived for say another twenty years or so , ..

Perhaps he would have built that island off the Malecon in Santo Domingo.

Another thing which I never understood is why did Pope John Paul II consecrated St. Stanislaus Church. - surely there were/are more approriate churches in the country for this honour.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
The looks of Chavon were the results of circumstances. When the highway across Chavon River was blasted, mountains of rocks were available, thus the idea to use them in the construction of the village. And remember that Gulf & Western Industries was the owner of Paramount Pictures. Enter the set designer Roberto Coppa, an Italian who imposed his style.

Beyond that explanation, I think Chavon should also be judged for what it has produced... dozens of highly talented, and well-placed Dominican design artists that make us proud. I believe the setting has inspired the hundreds of students that have studied at the college there. It was Charles Bluhdorn inspiration to provide a place for exhibition and sale of Dominican arts & crafts, even from the Taino days, that evolved to be a center for development of Dominican artistic talent.

I think it is a success story.
 

CFA123

Silver
May 29, 2004
3,512
413
83
Beyond that explanation, I think Chavon should also be judged for what it has produced... dozens of highly talented, and well-placed Dominican design artists that make us proud. I believe the setting has inspired the hundreds of students that have studied at the college there.

In spite of how I feel overall about Altos de Chavon as a destination... the school of design and its students do deserve kudos. I had a couple of their graduates working for me as pattern makers... both very dedicated to their craft.
 

bilijou

New member
Jun 13, 2006
216
4
0
I can see how Chavon may seem as an uninteresting place for outsiders. But if you’re a kid growing up in Romana (as I was) and you knew everybody there, it was unparalleled… the ultimate hangout spot… where I had a lot of firsts.
 

moreyl

New member
Sep 3, 2008
24
4
0
38
I can see how Chavon may seem as an uninteresting place for outsiders. But if you?re a kid growing up in Romana (as I was) and you knew everybody there, it was unparalleled? the ultimate hangout spot? where I had a lot of firsts.

Hmm well I grew up in Romana too and Altos de Chavon is also a place where I had a lot of firsts.
Ever since I was a kid Altos de Chavon has meant much more than just a tourist place. I used to practice ballet at the ampitheatre whenever there was a presentation, many of my school works have been up at the artist gallery. The Art School's library is such a small place but full of the best art books from around the world. I've gone up and down the ampitheatre steps so many times and yet everytime I go I need to go down and up. The pizzas are good and the mexican restaurant serves good food too...not to mention Papa Jacks jejeje...
I know Altos de Chavon like the palm of my hand and I give it the top score.