Altos de Chavón facts for kids
St. Stanislaus Church
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| Location | La Romana, Dominican Republic |
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| Coordinates | 18°25′13″N 68°53′23″W / 18.42028°N 68.88972°W |
| Owner | Central Romana Corporation, Ltd. |
| Type | Amphitheater |
| Capacity | 5,000 |
| Opened | August 1982 |
| Website | |
| Altos de Chavón Amphitheater | |
Altos de Chavón is a special place in the Dominican Republic. It looks like a village from the 1500s, built in a Mediterranean style. You can find it on top of a hill, overlooking the Chavón River in the city of La Romana, Dominican Republic.
This village is a popular spot for visitors. It has a cultural center, a museum about old artifacts, and a big amphitheater. An Italian architect named Roberto Copa and a businessman named Charles Bluhdorn came up with the idea for this unique place.
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A Village from the Past
The idea for Altos de Chavón started in 1976. Workers were building a road and a bridge over the Chavón River. They had to blast through a lot of stone. Charles Bluhdorn, who was in charge of a company called Gulf+Western, thought of a cool idea. He decided to use these stones to build a village that looked like it was from the 16th century.
The village was designed to look like old towns in the Dominican Republic, especially parts of Santo Domingo. Construction finished in the early 1980s. Today, Charles Bluhdorn's daughter, Dominique Bluhdorn, helps run the Altos de Chavón Cultural Center.
As you walk through Altos de Chavón, you'll see narrow streets. These streets are covered with cobblestones. Lanterns light the way, and the buildings have stone walls and wooden shutters. You can find nice restaurants and shops here. These shops sell crafts made by local artists. There are also art galleries that show off the work of students.
Altos de Chavón School of Design
Altos de Chavón is home to a special art school. It's called the Altos de Chavón School of Design. This school opened in 1983. It is connected to the famous Parsons School of Design in New York City.
Many talented artists have studied at this school. Some well-known people who attended include Lisa Thon and Joiri Minaya. Students here learn about different types of design and art.
St. Stanislaus Church
A beautiful church adds to the village's old-world feel. It's called St. Stanislaus Church. The church has a lovely plaza and a sparkling fountain. It's a very popular place for weddings.
The church was named after a Polish saint, Stanislaus of Szczepanów. This was done to honor Pope John Paul II. He visited Santo Domingo in 1979 and left some of the saint's ashes there. A famous wedding took place here in 2004. A royal, Louis Alphonse, married Maria Margarita de Vargas y Santaella in this church.
The Amphitheater
One of the most exciting parts of Altos de Chavón is its large amphitheater. It looks like an ancient Roman theater. This outdoor theater can hold 5,000 people! Many famous musicians have performed here. Some of the big names include Frank Sinatra, The Pet Shop Boys, and Julio Iglesias.
In August 1982, a big event called the Concert for the Americas happened here. Famous bands like Heart and Santana played music for everyone.
Near the amphitheater, there's also a fun nightclub called Génesis. It's a great place for guests from the nearby Casa de Campo resort to dance. You can also visit the Regional Museum of Archaeology. This museum has a collection of old artifacts. These items were found in the area and tell us about the people who lived here long ago.
Images for kids
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Chavón River
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Amphitheater
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Altos de Chavon
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See also
In Spanish: Altos de Chavón para niños
- Casa de Campo
- List of contemporary amphitheaters
