The Catholic Church receives a renovated and modernized museum, which tells the history of the First Cathedral of America Santa María La Menor.
President Luis Abinader and the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, inaugurated the Cathedral Museum in the Colonial City, a renovated and modernized museum, destined to strengthen the tourist, cultural and religious offer of the historic center.
The recovery of this precinct is part of the 28 projects executed by the Integral Program for the Tourist and Urban Development of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo (PIDTUCCSD) or Colonial City Revitalization Program.
President Luis Abinader and the Minister of Tourism handed over this museum, which tells the history of the Catedral Primada de América Santa María La Menor, in the Colonial City, where they exhausted an agenda of activities.
The work carried out in the Cathedral Museum included its architectural refurbishment, curatorship and the elaboration of its museographic contents, supported by the use of advanced technology.
The rehabilitation of its infrastructure included the refurbishment of all its spaces, including the habilitation of twelve rooms with interactive, didactic and immersive elements. It also includes the restoration and adaptation of all the pieces for exhibition. The revitalization of this precinct was carried out at a cost of US$2.4 million.
The new museum proposal explains the history of this monument, from its foundation stone, laid for the beginning of its construction, to the different architectural transformations it has undergone throughout its history, also integrating the exhibition of a large part of the important collection that the Primate Cathedral has kept for decades, which speaks of the history of faith and religiosity that has characterized the Dominican people.
During the ceremony, President Abinader emphasized his commitment to the rescue and preservation of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo and all the wealth it holds as a World Heritage Site.
In his speech, Minister Collado highlighted the importance of the Colonial City for his administration, working hard to achieve its urban transformation, its recovery as the most important historical and cultural epicenter of the Dominican Republic and seeking to strengthen tourism, raising its competitive offer.
President Abinader and Minister Collado were accompanied by First Lady Raquel Arbaje, members of the Archbishopric of Santo Domingo, the general coordinator of the Program’s Coordinating Unit, Amín Abel Santos, among other personalities.
It is recalled that last March, Abinader and Collado inaugurated the renovation of the Santo Domingo Fortress Museum, which to date has received more than 50,000 visitors, local and foreign; and also delivered rehabilitated Las Damas Street.
In addition to these works, the Colonial City Revitalization Program is working on the recovery of the Viceroyalty Palace Don Diego Colon or Alcazar de Colon and the Royal Houses, which make up the four most emblematic museums of this area.
The Colonial City Revitalization Program is financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and cooperation funds from the European Union, and aims to revitalize the Colonial City in the urban, economic and cultural tourism aspects.
It is executed by the Ministry of Tourism in conjunction with the Mayor’s Office of the National District (ADN) and the Ministry of Culture (MINC).
The components that make up the Program and that are under development are the recovery of public spaces and historical monuments; the improvement of living conditions for residents; the development of the local economy and the strengthening of the management of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo.
Source:Mitur.gob.do
