At the Gate of Liberty
The Dominican Republic declared its independence on February 27, 1844, and to honour this event, a park was created on the spot where it happened in Santo Domingo. I stumbled upon Parque Independencia after I realized I had forgotten my camera charging cable and had to find a store to purchase a new one. I wasn’t sure if I would get lucky, but after asking around on the outskirts of the colonial zone, I found a store where they (thankfully) had the cable I needed. Then after meandering around, and buying a zapote fruit, I saw this park across Conde Street, where there appeared to be some kind of event taking place.
Fort remains
Unbeknown to me, Independence Day was taking place the following day. So, on this occasion, there were many military personnel on the grounds. Some were keeping guard at various locations, arms at their side, while others marched around in carefully coordinate groups. Initially, I was not aware of the significance of the park, but it felt like an important place, so I was on my best behaviour.
The park contains the remnants of the old fort walls that surrounded the city in the 17th century. In the following image, you can see what is called La Puerta del Conde in the distance, a gateway protected by uniformed members of La Guardia Nacional. Named after the captain who led the battle against the British during an event now called the Siege of Santo Domingo, the gate is a symbol of freedom with a Latin inscription at the entrance to emphasize the point:
“ìDulce et Decori est pro patria moriî”
“It is indeed sweet and honorable to die for the fatherland.”
Notice the compass monument on the ground. It is called Punto Zero (Zero Point) and marks the point from which all other points of the country are measured and thus represents kilometer 0. Here’s another angle.
In the background, one can see the busts of the men and women who contributed to the cause of independence. A reminder that obtaining freedom requires courage, determination, and sacrifice.
One particular statue that caught my attention, as it stood apart in a place of honour, was that of Dona Manuela Diez de Duarte, who was the mother of one of the founding fathers. She provided shelter and aid to those who advanced the cause of independence.
I had the honour of entering the Altar de la Patria, also known as Tumba de los Padres de la Patria, which was also flanked by armed guards. The larger-than-life marble figures of the founding fathers commanded symbolic and emotive power. The mausoleum was a solemn space with a soft echo, and in that peaceful silence, rested the remains of Juan Pablo Duarte, Francisco del Rosario Sanchez, and Ramon Matias Mella.
There were many uniformed personnel visiting that day. Some looked like fresh recruits. You could feel the sense of pride and reverence. Being there reminded me that the road to liberty is never easy and straightforward. Freedom, once attained, should never be taken for granted and like these monuments, must always hold a special place in memory.
Resources
Parque Independencia / Independence Park
https://www.colonialzone-dr.com/parque-independencia/
The road to freedom is like a door in the distance that you have to go through and where on the way there are many obstacles... what a beautiful place!
You're right. This place is so full of symbolism. Dominicans had to struggle hard to gain independence, so they're very proud of this, and it shows in their monuments. It's also very fitting that this is considered point zero from which everything else is measured.
There is a lot of interesting history everywhere. Thank you!
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A truly interesting blog. I once wrote a small book for kids about European colonialism. I wrote about Puerto Rico, Haiti, Jamaica but not the Domincan Republic (although it shares the island with Haiti).
Did you see any indication of the unrest in Haiti, while you were there? Were there people who had left Haiti in order to find safety in the Dominican Republic? I see reporting in the U.S. that describes dire circumstances for those Haitians, and deportation back to Haiti. Here's an article published on PBS https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/haitians-displaced-by-violence-face-deportation-after-fleeing-to-dominican-republic
Thank you, @agmoore. I did notice the complexity of Dominican society, history, and politics. As an outsider, I felt it was impossible to truly comprehend it.
I noticed there were many workers of Haitian descent (spoke French) in stores and construction. One humorous event occurred when I was walking down the main street and two ladies were laughing and jesting loudly.
"Come Americans! Come Russian! Come Canadians! We Dominicans sell to everyone."
To which another other lady guffawed and shouted for everyone to hear:
"Don't lie, tell them where you're really from, tell them where you're from. Haiti! That's where you're from. Haw! Haw!"
From what I read in the news, Dominicans have mixed views on Haitian immigration into their country because while it has bolstered some sectors of their economy, it has also brought a lot of terrible crime. Unfortunately, I was not there long enough to truly grasp the culture and its history. But the little I experienced was very enlightening.