Dominican architect César Iván Feris Iglesias passed away in his sleep on Friday, 2 August 2024. He was 84 years old. He is best known for his contributions to the preservation of colonial buildings, homes, and historically significant pieces for the Dominican people.
Feris Iglesias was always generous with his time and his knowledge. He served as professor of generations of architects at the Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Ureña (Unphu), and as director of Monumental Heritage where he left his mark ensuring the conservation of many iconic houses in the Colonial City.
He was married to Ingrid Margarita Paiewonsky Marchena, with whom he had three children: Rosalía, Ricardo Alberto, and César Iván.
Feris Iglesias graduated as an architect from the University of Santo Domingo, now UASD. From 1967 to 1968, he pursued further studies in Italy, focusing on the protection of cultural assets, and obtained a doctorate in architecture from the University of Rome.
During his time in Europe, he also studied Byzantine art at the University of Bologna in Ravenna, and attended courses on the preservation of historic centers in Split, Yugoslavia, and natural landscape protection in Israel. He later participated in seminars on engineering and architecture in Israel and monument preservation in Antigua and Guatemala through the Organization of American States (OAS).
He shared this extensive knowledge and his international experiences teaching generations of students at the UNPHU and during his term as director of Monumental Heritage. He also served a term as ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the Vatican in Rome (1992-2000).
As an architect, he is recognized for his restoration of the Convento de los Dominicos in the Colonial City, the San Pedro de Macoris and Santiago major churches. He is also the founder of the Universidad Católica Santo Domingo.
He was widely acclaimed for his efforts in safeguarding colonial buildings, homes, and other historically significant artifacts cherished by the people of the Dominican Republic.
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5 August 2024