Palacio
Consistorial
This former town hall is now the headquarters of
the ministry of culture and the center for cultural programs in
the city of Santiago, Dominican Republic, housing many excellent
contemporary art displays as well as a small museum that
describes the history of the city. During its yearly Carnival,
the best masks are hung here for all the community to see and
enjoy, as well as getting some ideas for next years carnival. El
Palacio is one the city's best landmarks as it sits in a tree
shaded park, next to the private social club, Sociedad Centro de
Recreo, that had been Trujillo's old haunt, and established in
1894 by the Bermudez Rum family. The building can be
distinguished by the large tower that rises up from its
foundations, having been constructed in the early 16th century,
and the original location of the old town hall. It has been
renovated numerous times, that would eventually cover its
original facade. There was a major remodeling done in the early
1900s that would restore much of the structure's original
elegance that is visible today, and is today used mostly for art
exhibitions and cultural events. It is said that you can see the
tower, with its broken clock from anywhere in the city, which is
a great help to visitors since they need only look up and find
the tallest tower and know where to go or perhaps where they are
just by the relation of the tower to where they are.
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