Spanish
San Cristobal. — High in the mountains of San Cristobal, the silent vestiges of a regime that marked Dominican history with fire and blood still rest. There, two buildings that once symbolized the greatness and dominance of the dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina, the Casa de Caoba and the Castillo del Cerro, survive the passage of time with different destinies: one, sunk in abandonment; the other, rescued and re-signified.
Regarding the fact that this May 30th marks a new anniversary of the execution of Trujillo, who ruled the Dominican Republic for over 30 years, De Último Minuto took a tour of the architectural legacy of Trujillo in San Cristóbal.Mahogany House: Luxury Fallen into Oblivion
Located in the community of La Suiza, a few minutes from the center of San Cristóbal, the Casa de Caoba was for years one of Trujillo's favorite spaces. Built in the 40s as a vacation home, this three-story mansion was erected with fine tropical woods, including mahogany, which gives it its name. Its high ceilings, elegant columns and privileged view over the city were part of the environment reserved only for the “Jefe”, his associates and his security entourage.After the dictator's execution in 1961, the mansion was looted by the local population. The splendor was replaced by deterioration: today, the walls are marked by graffiti, the stairs to the third level have collapsed, and the place looks like a shadow of what it was. Only a black dog remains, which approaches to welcome people as soon as they look into the place.
Neighbors in the area visit the surroundings daily, which are used for exercise.
However, there is no signage, no security. According to statements from some citizens who were at the scene, just two weeks ago, a woman who had taken over the property to open a “foundation” was removed by municipal authorities.
Reyes Andrés nostalgically remembers the days when the house, now deteriorated, functioned as an important historical center. “I remember that when I came up here, it was like a board of trustees. The house wasn't as deteriorated as it is now, it was like this, but there were people,” he states.
At that time, the place preserved objects and elements associated with the regime of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo. “Everything was there, everything, everything Trujillo; Trujillo's belongings were there. They say that they took that out and took it to the city. It was after the cyclone that it collapsed”, he relates.
Reyes says that the place used to receive numerous visitors. “Here, buses used to come up with many, many visitors. They used to come up here.”
“The authorities have been negligent”
For him, the current deterioration of the space is due to abandonment by the authorities. “What I don't know is why the authorities have neglected it. The Ministry of Culture, the Governorate. The great authority of San Cristóbal has been the one that has neglected this.”
Reyes highlights that the place has an important historical value that has not been recognized or adequately preserved. “This has historical value and they have not seen that value that it has. They must look, put their eyes on this and restore it.”
He also suggests that the original objects related to Trujillo should be returned to the place. “All of Trujillo's belongings that were here, they must return them here, because all the important things were there”.
“Before there was control; now it's debauchery”
When asked about what the environment was like when Trujillo was alive, Reyes remembers the strong military presence in the area. “There were many soldiers. I remember, I would come down from the countryside, and there was control. Down there, there was a military post, and further on, there was another checkpoint. It was absolute control.”
The Mahogany House is today a symbol of the abandonment of Dominican historical heritage and the lack of care for the traces of one of the darkest chapters in the country.
Cerro Castle: From rejected mansion to training center
A few kilometers away, in the El Cerro sector, the imposing Castillo del Cerro rises, a monumental building constructed in 1949 with the intention of becoming Trujillo's main residence. Designed with an eclectic style that mixes neoclassical elements with European details, the five-level building stands out for its facade that resembles the bow of a ship, its majestic staircases, marble floors, and decorated ceilings.
Paradoxically, Trujillo never lived in the Castle. According to various versions, he considered the structure “too ostentatious”, even for him. The building remained empty for decades until, in recent years, it was recovered by the State and adapted to serve as the headquarters of the National Penitentiary School.
Nowadays, the Cerro Castle has been renovated and maintains spaces dedicated to history. It houses a small museum with personal objects of the dictator and documents about the resistance to his regime. In addition, the Specialized Institute of Penitentiary and Correctional Studies (Iseepenc) operates in the building, thus giving a new institutional life to a space that originally represented absolute power.
Both the Casa de Caoba and the Castillo del Cerro represent much more than concrete, wood, and marble: they are symbols of an era characterized by total control, extreme luxury, and repression. Each brick tells a story of power, propaganda, and fear.
