Please forgive e but I used one of the online translating devices (due to time constraint not inability) to translate this from Spanish to English for you student. It may be more than he really needs to know but it may be helpful.
here is the link in spanish: http://ahs.virtualave.net/ah04005.htm
Monumento a los H?roes de la Restauraci?n
Perhaps and without doubt one of highest Monuments of the Antilles and distinguishing landmark of the city of Santiago de los Caballeros as much at national level as international. It is " well-known " - as the Monument, since 1961, to " the heroes of the restoration ", along with the existing Duarte Park (constructed in 1917) and the important street " Restauracion " (San Miguel until 1897). It has unique character to glorify of in case to magna it develops Restauradora and to the totality of the heroes who jointly fought in her.
For most of the new generations the knowledge of this colossal structure is limited. They do not know its true past or reason for construction, thinking, that its purpose was from the principle to glorify the Civilian and Military heroes who fought for the sake of our liberation process. However peculiarly the reality was another one since its original intention was the one to pay or to venerate. As much in the city of Santiago, like in all the Cibao, to the figure of the " El Jefe ",BENEFACTOR OF the NEW MOTHER COUNTRY ", " GENERALISIMO " and other so many denominations grotesquely elevated to the dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina almost at demigod level.
Within its structure his plan fitted giving him to the great mass of " travelling civic " originating of all parts of national geography that came with the purpose of rendering pleites?a to the work and transcendental figure of the " HEAD ". The original design, work of Ingeniero-Arquitecto Henry Gazon Greater Bona of National Ejercito era was very distinct from what we actually see today. Due its later definitive transformations, to the modifications made by Ing. Mauricio Alvarez Perello, although the changes were great remained one narrow relation of " MAN and WORK ", (clearly Trujillo was this). Within the same two figures they had to stand out within the architectonic volume, just as they were: The rest of the statue " illustrious agent chief executive " of heroic magnitudes and the consequence - is full of cynicism - of its government work symbolized in the " STATUE OF.... PEACE ", even crowning to this Monument. Its construction in the year of the centenary of National Independence is initialized (1944), occurring its first picazo the 30 of April of the prementioned year by Isabel Governor Mayer. Structurally conforming in the beginning its physical floor, with its subsequent functional characteristics in the following way:
First Floor: ornamental hall, where the bronze figures of the outstanding personages but in Dominican history, in special " the Family Trujillo " would be placed. Its ornamentation constituted of a series of cornices of coffered ceiling in harmony with all the work. Completing the assembly with elegant column style J?nico with floors and famous marble socles in addition to lamps of Rock crystal.
Second Floor: where they began to unfold the murals of Zanetti, it would be dedicated to exhibit the museum of the historical objects of the Era of Trujillo. In addition to the Great " Gold album from the Monument to La Paz of Trujillo " in whom the companies of distinguished visitors would be registered.
Third Floor: Library, where they kept and they will offer the profusion of work written during the era of Trujillo.
Fourth and Fifth level: Restaurant and Bar with tables so that the people observed the beautiful panorama of the city.
It had to be surrounded by a majestic area of parks that would conform what serious the " Seat of La Paz " included. Understood by the following sections: North, acerbates north of the street of the three crossings; This hill of the Castle - where it is constructed - the Monument-south acerbates the south of the street " President Trujillo " - today of the Sun and the reconciled West Frank Bido today Duarte. With areas of strolls and avenues - inclusively entered of the city and projected others of diverse ways. The lateral strolls would be divided at the foot of the Castle, one towards the south bordering to the Monument and then lands of the succession Lamb crossing by the " hill " and the other by the north bordering the hill of the Castillo and the Domingo Castellanos until joining with the old way of " Rinc?n Largo ". It is interesting to make notice that due to these modifications the freeway to enter the city enters at Av. Franco Bido, today Juan Pablo Duarte.
Taking of the simple phase of projection in such , the works of the Monument began, leaving the Area of gardens anticipated for one second stage, being congealed for later aims all lands included/understood in the previous paragraph. At the moment these Areas of Parks after the continuous interventions that in such have been executed, have disappeared to their but minimum expression in damage of which it is in if of the Monumental Area and the important lung of the city which they represented.
