Fortress of Columbus

Museum · Santo Domingo ·

Fortress of Columbus

Museum · Santo Domingo ·

First viceregal palace in Americas, Gothic Renaissance residence

Information

F4G8+WWG Plaza de España, C. La Atarazana 2, Santo Domingo 10212, Dominican Republic Get directions

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Flights to This Caribbean Nation Could Soon Get Cheaper Thanks to An ‘Open Skies’ Agreement

"The capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo is rich in history and culture, featuring the oldest European settlement in the Americas."

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Fortress of Columbus

@afar

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"Don’t miss this Gothic Renaissance palace in the Zona Colonial, built between 1510 and 1514 for Christopher Columbus’s eldest son, Diego Colón (governor of the colony and viceroy of the Indies), and his wife, María de Toledo (niece of King Ferdinand ofSpain). Unfortunately, Francis Drake and his band of pirates pillaged the place in 1586, setting fire to the third floor on their way out. What’s left today is a believable re-creation of the original palace—minus one floor—where visiting conquistadores Balboa, Cortés, Pizarro, and Velázquez planned expeditions in grand rooms and plotted to conquer other lands. Visitors can take a solid audio tour of 22 restored rooms, including the viceroy’s waiting room and a ballroom with a crystal chandelier."

History and Culture in the Dominican Republic

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Alcázar de Colón

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The Essential Guide to Santo Domingo

Photo by Becker Stefan/Shutterstock.com

Alcázar de Colón

Ashok K.

Google

Beautiful Old historical residential museum in the heart of Zona Colonial which was built by Diego Columbus. The ticket to enter was about $2/person. It comes with an audio device where you can learn about the history of the museum and each room. On the second floor, you can see a beautiful view of the river and the Colonial area. We spent about 30-45 minutes here and it's definitely worth visiting if you are in the colonial area. It was not crowded and the staffs were pleasant.

Jet Z.

Google

Great historical site to visit

Ebony E.

Google

I drove around as I missed the parking garage and couldn’t not find it again. I drove past slowly and couldn’t take photo. It was a lovely view. The whole of the town is picturesque. Cobbled streets and no parking signs everywhere! Some nice shops I wish o was able to get to visit. Large police station and police presence. I will definitely go back next time and walk around on foot.

Christiana S.

Google

It was interesting going back in time like that, visiting their home and walking through it's walls. The fee was very low for visiting the museum, only 2$ and the included audio tour was very good and helpful.

John K.

Google

We had a guided tour. It was facinating to learn about the history of these Spanish upper.class that came to live in Santo Domingo. Much of the furniture and decorations are original, even if the actual structure is not. Most notable was that Christopher Columbus son and his wife were the ones to occupy the palace. Really, quite exceptional to see

Jesus F.

Google

The place is well preserve with lots of history. Very detailed information from the old days of the Spanish high class. The audio gadget is a great help and nice way to get know about all things that are shown.

Agberolistic

Google

Museum is reasonably interesting but quite small with little description on the artifacts. Audioguides are given out at the entrance however I had a tour goide and don't believe I got as much out of it as I might have, since explanation was about little other than it being Christopher Columbus' house which was destroyed by Frances Drake. It's unfortunate the remainder of the building to give a truer idea of how the place functioned.

Sanjay G.

Google

My bad luck, past 3 trips, I have encountered something like this every trip. Chicago- bean was under construction. Acadia, can’t see the sunset due to fog, and now this. The place was closed for renovation. Overlooking the Plaza de España and the Ozama River, the Alcázar de Colón (Columbus Palace) was built in the early 1500s as the governor’s residence. Once the home of Diego Colón, Christopher Columbus' son, this 16th-century viceregal palace (or residence of the governor/viceroy) was the nucleus of the Spanish court for more than 60 years. Explore 22 rooms over two stories inside the restored palace and museum, and see a collection of furniture, household items, artworks, tapestries, musical instruments, and weaponry, which offer a glimpse of life in Colonial Santo Domingo. A tour of the Alcázar de Colón is a must for anyone who wants to learn more about the city's rich history. And be sure to pick up some headphones to take advantage of the museum's self-guided audio tours Today, it’s one of the Colonial Zone’s most popular museums, and houses period furniture, artworks, and artifacts from the 16th century.