Columbus Lighthouse
Established | 1992 |
---|---|
Location | Santo Domingo Este Dominican Republic |
Coordinates | 18°28′43″N 69°52′05″W / 18.47861°N 69.86816°W |
Type | Mausoleum, Museum |
Architect | Teófilo Carbonell J. L. Gleave |
Columbus Lighthouse (Spanish: Faro a Colón, meaning "Lighthouse to Columbus") is a mausoleum monument to Christopher Columbus located in Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic.
Construction began in 1986, using plans drawn in 1931 by Scottish architect
The monument's lighthouse-style features projecting beams of light, forming a cross shape, which are so powerful that they can be seen from neighboring Puerto Rico.[3]
Overview
The Columbus Lighthouse is a cross-shaped monument made of reinforced concrete, Its dimensions are 680 feet (210 m) by 195 feet (59 m).[3] The cross represents the Christianization of the Americas. There are 157 beams of light that emanate towards the sky from the structure and a rotating beam, which can be seen from space.[citation needed]
According to the Dominican authorities, remains of Christopher Columbus are sheltered at the lighthouse. However, Spanish authorities have proved through
Once a year, on Columbus Day, the remains are displayed in their crypt (behind a sheet of glass).[6]
History
The Dominican historian Antonio Delmonte y Tejada, in his book History of Santo Domingo, published in 1852, expressed the idea of erecting a monument in honor of Columbus in Santo Domingo.[7] In 1914, the American, Pulliam William Ellis, began promoting a monumental beacon in the first city of the New World to the American press. The concept was accepted during the 1923 Fifth International Conference in Chile, when it was decreed that this monument should be built in cooperation by all governments and peoples of the Americas.
Scottish architect Joseph Lea Gleave won a competition among 455 participants from 48 countries. The event was held in Brazil in 1931, with judges including architects Horacio Acosta y Lara (Uruguay),
The monument, though conceived by Gleave as a mausoleum, was adapted to house a permanent collection of exhibitions from each country of the Americas, as well as other European and Asian countries, as requested by former President Balaguer. The exhibitions house items of cultural heritage from each country;
See also
References
- ^ "Où est donc enterré Christophe Colomb ?" Archived 2020-09-28 at the Wayback Machine Cristobal-colon.net. Retrieved June 4, 2009
- ^ Le phare de Christophe Colomb Entre2voyages.com Retrieved June 4, 2009
- ^ a b c Jacobs, Karrie (April 2010), "World's Strangest Buildings", Travel + Leisure, retrieved 2010-04-25
- ^ Sood, Suemedha. "The mystery of Christopher Columbus's legacy". Retrieved 2018-09-19.
- ^ Killgrove, Kristina. "DNA Testing Of Skeleton May Prove Christopher Columbus Was Really Portuguese". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
- ^ Horwitz 2008, pp. 89–90, 92.
- ^ a b "Faro a Colon". Indiana.edu. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ^ "Grupo León Jimenes | Biblioteca virtual | Historia para la construcción de la arquitectura dominicana". Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2011-05-27.
- ^ "Columbus Lighthouse". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ^ Horwitz 2008, p. 83.
Sources
- ISBN 978-1-4299-3773-3.
External links
- Columbus Lighthouse video tour on YouTube