The local government representative explained that the rehabilitation project will include the construction of a boulevard along the entire length of what is now a dilapidated stretch of road that connects Casa de Caoba with the Medina road.
SAN CRISTÓBAL.-The Mahogany House, a mansion often visited by the tyrant Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina to rest in his hometown, will undergo a remodeling process by the city council here.
José Montás, mayor of San Cristóbal, reported on the project during a visit-tour of the facilities of this historical heritage, accompanied by personalities who are knowledgeable about the events that gave rise to these facilities.
After touring the facilities, Montás officially announced the start of the infrastructure rehabilitation work, which will have the approval of President Luis Abinader, who reportedly expressed his support on November 6 during his visit to San Cristóbal for Constitution Day, according to the mayor.
Montás was accompanied by representatives of the Executive Branch, including the advisor for the Cultural Heritage of Santo Domingo, Eugenio Pérez Montás, and Ydalia Martínez, representative of the director of museums, Carlos Andújar.
The local government representative explained that the rehabilitation project will include the construction of a boulevard along the entire length of what is now a dilapidated stretch of road that connects Casa de Caoba with the Medina road.
The architect Jancito Pichardo Vicioso, general secretary of the Duartian Institute, served as guide for the tour, where it was possible to appreciate the state of deterioration of this place full of historical passages of the dictator who subjected the Dominican people to 31 years of one of the bloodiest tyrannies in Latin America.
Currently characterized by total neglect, where objects deteriorated by the elements can be seen, the Mahogany House seems to be heading towards its rescue, after decades of attempts to launch a rescue plan for this Dominican heritage.
In this preferred residence for rest of the dictator and his family, there are hardly any vestiges of that past elegance, and to know it, one only has to take a look through its corners, and the ceilings of some of its rooms, in which even in their state, one can perceive the elegant architectural styles with which the mansion was designed.
About the house:
It was called the Mahogany House because a large amount of precious wood was used in its construction.
Its construction was ordered by Trujillo in 1940 and was carried out in several stages, during which details and facilities were added to improve its services.
The building was initially constructed by the Spanish company Rodríguez Belgrado. A later expansion was added, this time with a concrete structure featuring prominent arched beams. The remaining three levels of the annex were built of wood.
The garages were made separate and located before reaching the house. They were built by the engineer Luis María Bonnet.
It has three levels, several rooms, a large patio, an esplanade, parking for several vehicles, and a bar with a dance floor.
According to architect Jancito Pichardo Vicioso, the bar area was Trujillo's favorite. There he would receive acquaintances, with whom he shared his experiences and unwinded.
There was opposition.
In 2010, there was an attempt to create a museum dedicated to Trujillo, but the proposal sparked both support and opposition. Several prominent figures, including Minou Tavares Mirabal, Olga Viñas, Francisco González, and Rafael Martínez, strongly opposed the project.
On October 3, 1987, through Law 44-87, the Board of Trustees of the Mahogany House was created, with the purpose of preserving the place as a historical monument, national heritage of the Dominican Republic .
The bill was submitted by Senator José Osvaldo Leger of San Cristóbal. The Board of Trustees, though ineffective, was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, the Office of Cultural Heritage, the Museum of Dominican Man, the Ministry of Public Works, the Museum of the Royal Houses, and the San Cristóbal City Council.
Original source: Listín Diario, with modifications.
