This impressive 16th-century building once housed the administrative powers of Spain’s colonial empire, whose influence reached as far as Mexico and Colombia.  It was in this house that the judges of the Royal Audience plotted and intrigued against Christopher Columbus and his heirs, effectively cutting them out of any proceeds the Admiral felt entitled to for securing the island for the Spanish Crown.

The museum inside contains an exceptional collection of Colonial-era maps, paintings, and rooms that have been restored to reflect the pre-eminent functions performed here.  Among the most impressive exhibits is an extensive gun and saber collection donated by former Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo.

(Photos: Jonathan Prime; Façade: Stephan Mallet)