Category:

History

Culture

Adventure

Location:

San Cristobal province is bordered to the north of  Monseñor Nouel province (Bonao), northeast of Monte Plata, east of Santo Domingo, Peravia (Bani) to west and the Caribbean Sea to the south .

About San Cristobal:

• The foundation of the town of San Cristobal was early in the nineteenth century, but its origins date back before 1500’s, when Don Bartholomew Columbus, carrying out orders from his brother Christopher Columbus founded San Cristobal.
• In 1932 the province was created with the name of the province Trujillo in honor of the dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo and San Cristobal was incorporated into the new province as the capital. After Trujillo's death in 1961, the province gave the present name of San Cristobal.
• San Cristobal province has a total area of 1426.20 km². It is divided into eight municipalities and six municipal districts.
• In the city of San Cristobal was held the first constituent of the republic proclaimed and signed the first constitution of the Dominican Republic on 6 November 1844.  Also, in this city was born the dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo
• The typical dish of this city is the “pastel en hoja”. This dish can be prepared with green plantain, cassava or grated yautia, filled with meat and wrapped in banana leaves and then boiled.
• In San Cristobal is located one set of caves with the highest rock art in the Caribbean: The caves of Bourbon or Pomier.
• The patron saint festivities of San Cristobal are held from July 19th to the 25^th every year.

How to get there?

• By Air: The nearest airport is the Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) to Santo Domingo, you can also use María Montes International Airport (BRX) located in Barahona.

• By car: Direct access via Highway “6 of November” or on the Sanchez road from Santo Domingo on a west journey. The trip lasts about 30 minutes.

Climate:

San Cristobal has a tropical climate with frequent rain forest, with temperatures between 22 º C and 29 º C.

Church of Our Lady of Consolation:

The church of Our Lady of Consolation (Nuestra Señora de la Consolación) was built in the late 1940s and 1950s by the french architect Henry Gazon with the aim of being a family vault of Trujillo and also to be buried with family members. Below this temple is the crypt of the Trujillo family and the coffin where rested for 6 months the remnants of the dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. This church has also the attracting murals and side walls of the Spanish painter Vela Zanetti.

City Hall:

The city hall was opened in 1937 that today houses the headquarters of the Municipal Government. Built of reinforced concrete, with a Victorian-baroque style and due to its design and what it represents for Dominican architecture, this place was declared "Cultural Heritage of the Dominican Republic”.

Balneario La Toma:

It is a natural spa pool-type which is formed by the river Nigua. La Toma is located about 6 miles north of San Cristobal, where it was built the first dam in America by the Spanish conqueror Christopher Columbus around 1520’s.

La Toma has a significant source of pure, crystalline water and is much visited by many locals and residents of the southern region of the island especially during summer time.

Casa de Caoba (Mahogany House):

It is said that the Casa de Caoba (Mahogany house) was the home of the Trujillo family built in three stages during the year 1940 with an area of 3.162 meters ² of construction spread over three levels. Mahogany was the main element used in its construction, but also used other precious woods such as oak, the layer and the Heart of Pigeon.

This house is located in the northern part of the city of San Cristobal; in the area of “Fundacion” and also encompasses the little town of Villegas. In October 1987 was created by law 4487 a board of trustees to ensure and take care of the Mahogany House.

The caves of Bourbon or Pomier:

The caves of Bourbon or Pomier are located in the little town of El Pomier with an extension of 4 km² approximately. This area was declared a cultural heritage of Dominican Republic onMay 6^th of 1992, by Resolution No. 267. Later in the year 1993, with Decree 295, the complex consisting of 12 caves was incorporated into the National System of Protected Areas under the category of anthropological reserve.

This anthropological reserve is a unique geological formation in the country and of which there are few in the world. It houses more than 4,000 pictographs and petroglyphs left by the natives from Ingeri and Taino cultures and is considered one of the most important anthropological heritage of mankind.

Palenque beach:

Palenque has 3 miles of open beach of fine gray sand. In this beach you can do dive and in front of it are the remains of Imperial Diomedes French galleon sunk in 1806. Palenque is a publicly accessible beach visited by many locals.

Najayo beach:

In this beach you will enjoy 1.8 miles of think cream colored sandy cream beach. Najayo beach is very crowded by locals and residents of the southern region of the island. This area has excellent mussels and snails. It's open with public access and within its coastline you can find summer houses. Although there is not extensive tourism development you may find small local hotels.

Tips:

• If you don’t have enough time to explore the town of San Cristobal, you take one-day trip departing from the city of Santo Domingo.
• Bring a bathing suit, hat, sunscreen, tennis or walking shoes and camera for your pictures.