Santiago Enygma

[A.Hidalgo]

Here;
SnapshotJourneys | Travel Photos Dominican Republic | Day Trip to Santiago Cigar Factory and Waterfalls

?Monument to Trujillo at Santiago

A statue of Rafael Trujillo (in power from 1930-1961) tops the monument now named Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration of the Republic. His legacy includes amassing a personal fortune at the Dominicans' expense.


Our guide explained that the tower was too difficult to get a crew to the top to replace it, so it's still there.


The monument is 67 metres (220 feet) high, and apparently affords wonderful views of the valley, and beyond from the observation area.


With the elevator out of order at the time I was there, and tour time short, we didn't get to climb up the eight storey stairway to the top. ?

Rick

Halfway down the page

Rick

Info on that web page is incorrect. I corresponded with Bernardo Vega a respected expert of the Dominican Republic who is a Senior Associate with the Center for Strategic & International Studies and writer of many books about the DR and relations with the US.

His answer to the question about the "Santiago enigma" is "It represents "peace" and was done by an Italian in the 1940's. The monument was called Monumento a la Paz de Trujilo. The statue of Trujillo was at ground level. Thus the joke whispered during the dictatorship was the monument meant Arriva la paz y abajo Trujillo".

 

[Ogre of the Caribbean]

Photo

Does anyone have a photo of theTrujillo bust that was at the base?

I remember seeing them briefly in a Trujillo documentary, but they were not very clear.

 

[A.Hidalgo]

Monument will get a facelift and will be closed for 5 months starting in March.


List?n Diario Digital - El peri?dico de los dominicanos

 

[Budson]

The inside needs a face lift too....

Yesterday was the first time in 3 years I was able to get inside and go through the "museum" in the upper levels. I was also able to get up to the top observation deck. The view of Santiago and the entire Cibao Valley is incredible.

There are beautiful frescoes in the museum area. There is also some very old displays.

The museum itself seems to be in pretty good shape. The place is a mess however. Seems