National Pantheon of the Dominican Republic

One of the must-sees of this this colonial city is the National Pantheon which faces the Nicolas de Ovando Hostal on Calle Las Damas. It has its origin in a Jesuit monastery built in 1976, but it was also a tobacco store and a theater before the Dictator Trujillo restored it in 1958 as a mausoleum for military and political leaders of the nation. The entire building, including the neoclassical facade, was constructed with large limestone blocks. Its dome is covered with frescoes by Rafael Pellicer Galeote depicting "The Apocalypse and Resurrection," which was inspired by the Sistine Chapel. The monumental bronze chandelier was a gift to Trujillo from the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.