DU in the DR
By Charlotte Myers & Parker Litts
Page Title
Fortaleza Ozama
Meant to protect the city of Santo Domingo, Fortaleza Ozama stands tall at the entrance of the colonial zone from the water. Built by the Spanish in the sixteenth century, this fortress overlooks the Ozama river, and is a beautiful sight. Before it was opened to the public in the 1970s, Fortaleza served as a military garrison and prison.
"Though the initial fort was broken down, there is still one that surrounds the outskirts of Santo Domingo. The architectural structure of the tower was amazing. It was built from coral, and had a very medieval style and design. It was designed so that the enemies could not get inside nor see inside. There were slits inserted in the tower, just small enough for the soldiers (I assume) to shoot their enemies through without being hit.”
-Aliyah
The most impressive of the structures is the Tower of Homage, with its two-meter thick walls and rooftop lookout which gives 360 degree views of the city. The tower is the oldest part of Fortaleza Ozama, and contains several small openings that the riflemen would use to protect the city. On the river side of the fort is a high wall. Here, cannons are lined up where they used to be the city’s first line of defense.
We got to explore Fortaleza and enjoy the views that it provides. Our group saw the inside of the tower as well as climbed our way to the top. We checked out the embrasures along the way, and saw how limited the field of vision was for the riflemen.
